It’s hard to drive through suburban America without seeing mulch. During warm spring days, you’ll often spot homeowners spreading mulch around their flowerbeds. This may leave you wondering whether you should try adding some to your garden.
Mulch is popular for a reason. The most obvious benefit is that it helps your plants grow, but there are other uses for it as well. Certain types of mulch, such as cedar mulch, will help keep insects away. The material can also be used to soften the area around playgrounds or sitting areas. Finally, some homeowners simply use it to add beauty to their yards, choosing shades of mulch that match the color of their homes.
If you’re interested in scheduling a mulch delivery, you should first understand the differences between each type of mulch. Some types of mulch are more suited to certain goals and types of yards. For all your mulch delivery needs, JK Enterprise can provide your desired mulch straight to your driveway. Give us a call today to learn more.Â
How Mulch Helps Your Plants Grow
Most homeowners understand that mulch is good for their plants, but few understand what makes it different from dirt. Most of the soil in your garden is a mix of mineral particles, living and dead organisms, water, and air. Mulch, however, is made of tree bark, pine needles, wood chips, or other types of organic but refined substances.
Mulch naturally decomposes over time. As it breaks down, it will enrich the soil with nutrients, giving growing plants a much-needed boost. A layer of mulch on your flowerbed will also help the underlying soil absorb and hold water, resulting in healthier and happier plants. This is because mulch limits water loss through evaporation.
Finally, mulch helps prevent the growth of weeds. Not only will this make your life as a gardener much easier, but it will prevent the weeds from taking in water and nutrients that would otherwise benefit your flowers and shrubs.
Different Types of MulchÂ
Mulch comes in a variety of types, but they fall into two categories: organic and inorganic. Organic mulches are made from living materials, such as tree bark, wood chips, leaves, or pine needles. Inorganic materials, on the other hand, are manmade materials such as plastic or fabric.
Inorganic mulch is useful when you want to add a permanent material to a part of your yard that will not degrade over time. For example, if you’re installing a playground, you might add a soft inorganic mulch around it as a way of softening the ground and defining the play area. If your main goal is to enrich your plant growth, however, you should stick with organic mulch.
Leaf mulch
One type of organic mulch is leaf mulch. Made of shredded leaves or pine needles, this type of mulch has a natural and organic look and smell. It’s the same material that Mother Nature uses each fall to rejuvenate the soil. Leaf mulch has the added benefit of attracting earthworms to the soil. Earthworms eat the leaf mulch, leaving behind stronger, more fertile soil.
Hardwood mulch
Hardwood mulch is made from the shredded tree bark or branches of trees. It is often made from oak trees, but it can incorporate a mixture of hardwoods. The fibrous and rich material is thick enough to prevent weed growth and soil erosion, but fertile and porous enough to encourage the growth of your plants.
Double-shredded hardwood mulch
For a more refined material, we recommend double-shredded hardwood mulch. The double shredding process makes the mulch more consistent in shape and size. The result is a material that is soft underfoot and especially conducive to healthy plant growth. Double-shredded mulch is also more likely to stay in place, meaning you’re less likely to have stray pieces of mulch around your yard that need to be picked up.
Color-enhanced hardwood
Hardwood has the additional advantage of being adaptable in terms of color. Environmentally friendly dyes can be used to enhance the color of the mulch. Common color choices include black, red, blond, and various shades of brown. Many homeowners choose a shade of hardwood that matches or complements the color of their home.
Cedar mulch
If you enjoy the crisp smell and reddish-yellow color of cedar bark, cedar mulch may be the right choice for you. In addition to retaining moisture and preventing weed growth, this type of mulch has the additional advantage of repelling pests.
Cedar mulch has natural chemicals and oils that repel spiders, mosquitoes, carpet beetles, moths, ants, cockroaches, rats, and even snakes. Spread it around flower beds, outdoor sitting areas, pet kennels, storage sheds, and other commonly used areas of your yard. You’ll make your property safer and more pleasant for your family and your guests.
Playground wood chips
If you pay attention to the material used in public playgrounds, you’ll often notice a layer of soft but sturdy wood chip mulch. This mulch prevents erosion and enriches the underlying topsoil, but the wood chips are refined enough to be comfortable underfoot, keeping the play area safe and fun. The material also helps prevent puddles and mud, making it an excellent choice for walking paths and shady areas under trees.
Playground carpet mulch
Playground carpet mulch is similar to playground wood chip mulch, but the material is more finely shredded. The mulch, which can be organic or inorganic, is soft and comfortable enough to be used under swing sets and at the foot of slides.
The light, sandy color of the mulch creates a visually striking contrast between the play area and the surrounding lawn. Not only does this add to the beauty of your yard, but it also helps young children visualize the boundary between the safe play areas and the area around them.
How Much Mulch Do I Need?Â
When scheduling a mulch delivery, you’ll first need to determine how much mulch you’ll need to cover your flower beds. Generally, you want your layer of mulch to be about 3 inches deep. The amount of mulch you need, however, depends on the size of your flower beds.
Start by measuring the approximate square footage of your garden. This is often easier said than done because flower gardens rarely have square edges or even lines. For the most accurate measurement, you might want to hire a handyman or gardening professional.
When ordering your mulch, you may need to convert the square footage into cubic yards. 100 square feet by 3 inches deep equals 1 cubic yard. Use an online calculator or ask your mulch provider for help when making the conversion.
If you have any questions about mulch delivery or types of mulch, give JK Enterprise a call. Our experts will help you determine the best mulch for your yard. We can also help you place an order for mulch. Before you know it, you’ll have fresh mulch enhancing your soil and helping to keep your property beautiful.
