What is Landscaping Mulch made of?
Mulch is primarily made of organic material and can come in a variety of forms having many benefits for your landscaping and gardens. It is mostly made up of tree bark, wood chips, pine straw, moss, grass clippings, or leaves. Other substances like newspaper, manure, compost, or rubber are also popular. Organic mulch reduces soil moisture evaporation, suppresses weeds, and prevents weed germination, insulates soil from extreme temperature changes, reduces soil erosion and compaction, gradually decomposes adding valuable organic material to the soil, and makes landscaping more attractive.
What is Mulch and How is it Made
Leaf Mulch – Leaf mulch is made by raking leaves and using the lawn mower to chop them up.
Compost – Made from grass clippings and leaves and is usually a dark color like soil. Compost breaks down quickly.
Bark Mulch – Bark mulch is made mostly from the bark of cut or fallen pine trees or cedar. Bark mulch is available in natural or dyed varieties and is slightly acidic in nature. This means that it takes longer to decompose and does not need replacing as often as other types of organic mulch. Bark mulches are best used on slopes and around trees, shrubs, and in perennial beds. The larger the piece the longer it will last.
Shredded Mulch – Shredded mulches have a natural look about them and work well around flowers.
Wood Chips – Wood Chips are made when tree and shrub trimmings are passed through a wood chipper. This material adds nitrogen to the soil as it decomposes and is best used around trees, shrubs, and in perennial beds.
Straw Mulch – Breaks down slower than leaves or grass clippings and is usually used in a vegetable garden and around strawberries. Straw mulch is a beautiful golden color and helps keep dried mud off your edibles.
Rubber Mulch – Rubber mulch is used primarily for safety and aesthetic reasons and comes from recycled rubber products such as old tires. The rubber is shredded and can come in a multitude of colors. Rubber doesn’t break down and won’t add any nutrients to the soil. This mulch will remain in the soil indefinitely.
Benefits of Mulch
There are many advantages to adding mulch in your garden. In the summer, mulch helps the soil hold moisture, so watering often is not necessary. It also helps prevent weeds from growing by blocking the light that helps them to grow! By adding a thick layer of mulch, you’ll ensure that the weeds never see the light of day! When placed on a slope, the soil tends to stay put when water hits it reducing any runoff caused by rain and floods.
What to Consider when Choosing Mulch
Although it can be challenging to find the right landscaping mulch, there are several factors to consider. What is your purpose of using mulch? Is it solely to enhance the appearance of your landscape? What are you looking to achieve? What time of year is it? Some of the options will be more aesthetic and others solely for functionality. When considering what to choose, consider using A+ Lawn Care & Landscaping, Inc. A+ Lawn Care & Landscaping, Inc. can help you create the perfect landscape! Contact us for more information about the services and products we offer.