A Mulch Introduction: Benefits & Myths

Mulch Madness: Intro, Benefits, and Myths

When many people think of mulch, their thoughts initially drift to bark mulch, as it’s one of the most common types of mulch seen in most neighborhoods. But there are actually lots of different types of mulch, and all of them have different benefits for your garden. This is a breakdown of what mulch is, its benefits, and myths and misconceptions about its use. A Mulch Needed Introduction Mulch is any material used to cover the surface of your soil. Many primarily know about it because of the uniform appearance it gives your yard and garden. However, mulch has other purposes: it encourages soil and plant health, aids in water conservation and temperature moderation, and discourages weeds. Some specific mulch types also provide nutrients. Overall, putting mulch in your yard makes landscaping faster, more affordable, and easier. It’s also a great transitional strategy; your sod installation and fence building costs become significantly lower when you use mulch. When it’s used as a garden barrier, you require less fencing, and when it takes up more room in your garden, you need to lay less sod. What Are the Different Types of Mulch? Overall, mulch types are divided into two categories: organic and inorganic. The main difference between the two is that organic mulches decompose over time, providing nutrients to the soil and improving soil structure and quality. Inorganic mulches, on the other hand, tend to be more decorative and serve as a barrier to weeds since they do not readily decompose. What mulch is and its different types. Organic mulch examples:

Shredded or chipped wood
Wood Bark
Shredded leaves
Leaf mold
Grass
Straw
Pine needles
Cocoa bean or hazelnut shells
Mushroom compost

Inorganic mulch examples:

Stone
Seashells
Recycled tumbled glass
Rubber

Mulch and Its Benefits In addition to being a beautification strategy and a gardening bed marker, mulch has lots of other benefits, whether organic or inorganic. One of the biggest benefits to using mulch in your garden is water conservation and moisture retention. Mulch helps water penetrate the soil better by reducing runoff, helps the soil retain that moisture, and it reduces evaporation. Similarly, it also helps with temperature control by keeping soil temperature moderate in any weather, reducing plant stress. It also helps with soil health. If you’re using organic mulch, it decomposes and provides the plants nutrients. On top of that, it blocks sunlight from getting to weeds and supporting their growth, and it combats erosion by keeping the soil in place. Benefits of mulch use.

Specific Mulch Types for Specific Gardens The great thing about having such a variety of mulches on the market is that they provide different benefits specific to what you’re growing. You want to consider three things when trying to decide which type of mulch is best for your yard: the goals of your mulching, climate and watering needs, and aesthetic preferences. For example, if you’re looking to suppress weed growth in your garden, it may benefit you to use an inorganic mulch like fabric, gravel, or rubber. If you’re looking to add nutrients to your soil, compost or wood chips may benefit your garden best. Additionally, arid climates usually work well with inorganic mulches to retain moisture, and humid climates work better with organic mulches because there is a smaller chance of fungal growth. It’s also important to consider your aesthetic preferences; color, whether you’re going for a natural or modern look, etc. For example, many beach houses like to use shells for mulch because it adds to the beachy look. Mulch Myths & Misconceptions
Common Myths There are four common myths about mulch use:

It hinders plant growth
Mulching attracts termites
More mulch is better, especially around trees
Mulch is toxic for pets

The Facts But here’s the truth:

Mulch actually does the opposite of hindering growth. In fact, if you’re looking to add nutrients to your soil, improve moisture levels, and dissuade weed growth, mulch is your best friend. It does not, like many people think, suck the nitrogen out of your soil.
Though insects like the same damp, dark spaces that your plants like, it does not mean putting mulch in your garden will immediately attract termites. You will only see termites if they are already present on your lawn. But if you’re really worried, putting mulch beds six inches from the base of your home and taking care not to water the siding on your home will help prevent them.
Excessive mulching can suffocate your plants by preventing oxygen and water from getting to the roots. It can also cause mold to grow, especially when you have too much around the bases of tree trunks, and will cause trees and plants to rot. You only need a depth of about three inches.
The only mulch that can hurt your pets is mulch made of cocoa beans, as chocolate is toxic to dogs.

Conclusion It’s difficult to decide what is best for your yard, especially when you’re doing everything you can to ensure that your plants are growing healthy and strong. With lots of myths about mulch flying around and its benefits and uses not being very well-known, it only becomes harder to decide what your garden needs. It’s recommended that you ask the professionals and, even more importantly, do so if your yard is already struggling with rot, dryness, or excessive weeds.