Mulching is one of the most beneficial practices for maintaining a healthy and attractive yard. Adding and maintaining the proper amount of mulch enhances the appearance of your landscape and helps conserve moisture, reduce weed growth, and improve soil health. However, improper mulching can do more harm than good. To ensure you’re doing it right, follow these guidelines on how to properly add mulch to your Lincoln yard!

Step 1) Prepare The Soil Before Mulching

Proper soil preparation is essential for maximizing the benefits of mulch. Before applying mulch, take the time to prepare the soil to ensure the best possible environment for your plants. If you’re dealing with heavy clay soil, you may want to aerate the soil or add a layer of compost before mulching to improve drainage and root growth.

Weed Control: Remove any existing weeds from the area where you plan to apply mulch. Mulch can help suppress future weed growth, but it won’t eliminate established weeds.

Soil Amendment: If your soil is compacted or lacks nutrients, consider amending it with compost or other organic matter before mulching. This improves soil structure and fertility, creating a better environment for your plants.

Watering: Ensure the soil is adequately moist before applying mulch. Dry soil under mulch can be difficult to rehydrate, so water the area thoroughly before mulching.

Step 2) Choose The Right Type Of Mulch

Selecting the right type of mulch is crucial for achieving the best results in your yard. Mulch comes in various forms, each with its own set of benefits and ideal uses. Consider your landscaping goals and the specific needs of your plants when choosing mulch. Organic mulch is generally preferable for most garden beds, as it improves soil health over time.

Organic Mulch: Materials like wood chips, bark, straw, and compost are popular organic mulch options. They decompose over time, adding nutrients to the soil and improving its structure. However, they may need to be replenished more frequently.

Inorganic Mulch: Inorganic options, such as gravel, stones, or synthetic materials, do not break down and can last much longer. These are ideal for areas where you don’t want to disturb the mulch frequently, but they don’t add nutrients to the soil.

Colored Mulch: Dyed mulches, usually made from recycled wood, are available in various colors, including red, black, and brown. While these can add a vibrant touch to your landscape, they don’t always decompose as well as natural mulches and may contain harmful chemicals.

Step 3) Don't Bury Your Plants

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make when mulching is burying their plants. While mulch provides numerous benefits, piling it up against the trunks of trees, shrubs, or the stems of perennials can lead to serious problems. Always keep mulch a few inches away from the base of plants to create a mulch-free zone that allows the plants to breathe and prevents moisture from accumulating directly against the trunk or stems. Piling excess mulch around the base of plants, often called “volcano mulching,” can cause several issues:

Moisture Retention Around the Trunk: When mulch is piled against the trunk, it traps moisture, which can lead to rot and decay. This weakens the plant and makes it more susceptible to pests and diseases.

Pest Attraction: Mulch piled high against plants provides an ideal habitat for pests like rodents and insects, which can cause significant damage to the plants.

Reduced Oxygen Supply: Burying the base of a plant in mulch can limit the oxygen supply to the roots, leading to poor plant health.

Step 4) Apply Only 2-3 Inches Of Mulch

Another key to effective mulching is applying the right amount of material. While it might be tempting to pile it on, more mulch isn’t always better. In fact, too much mulch can suffocate plant roots, restrict water infiltration, and encourage pests or diseases. If the mulch layer is too thick, organic mulches will also have a difficult time decomposing, meaning fewer vital nutrients for your soil. Use a rake or your hands to spread mulch evenly across the soil surface. Ensure the layer is consistent and that you don’t exceed the recommended depth.

Optimal Thickness: The ideal mulch depth is 2-3 inches. This is sufficient to suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, and insulate the soil without hindering air and water movement to the roots.

Layering Mulch: If you already have mulch in your garden, you don’t need to remove the old layer every year. Instead, add just enough new mulch to maintain the 2-3 inch depth. This will replenish the mulch layer without creating an overly thick barrier.

Avoiding Excess Mulch: Too much mulch can cause the roots to grow upwards into the mulch layer rather than down into the soil. This leads to shallow root systems that are more susceptible to drought, temperature fluctuations, and physical damage.

Step 5) Use Mulch To Define & Protect Areas

Mulch can be a powerful tool for defining landscape areas and protecting plants from foot traffic and lawn equipment. The contrast between the greenery in your yard and the color of the mulch is often quite clear and prevents people from walking or mowing over delicate areas where mulch exists.

Create Mulch Beds: Use mulch to create defined beds around trees, shrubs, and garden areas. This not only enhances the appearance of your yard but also protects plant roots from damage.

Protecting Trees and Shrubs: Mulch can protect trees and shrubs from lawnmower and trimmer damage by creating a buffer zone around the base of the plant. This prevents accidental cuts and injuries to the trunk.

Mulching Walkways: Mulch can be used to create natural-looking walkways through your garden. They can also help direct foot traffic away from delicate plants or garden beds.

Step 6) Reapply Mulch Annually

Mulch doesn’t last forever. Organic mulches decompose over time, and even inorganic mulches can shift or degrade. To maintain the benefits of mulching, it’s important to reapply mulch annually or as needed. When adding new mulch, avoid simply piling it on top of the old layer. Rake the existing mulch to loosen it and then add the new material to achieve the desired depth.

Inspecting Mulch: Check your mulch layer each spring and fall. If it has broken down or thinned out, add more to maintain the ideal 2-3 inch depth.

Raking and Fluffing: If your mulch has become compacted, use a rake to fluff it up. This helps improve air circulation and ensures water can penetrate the soil.

Planning and Timing: Early spring is ideal for most gardens, as it helps retain moisture from spring rains and suppresses early weed growth. Fall mulching can protect plants during winter and prepare the soil for spring planting.

Call Summit Lawns to reapply mulch to your Lincoln yard today, and be sure to check out our other services in the Lincoln, Nebraska area!