Mulching is one of the most important ways to maintain healthy landscape plants. A mulch is any material applied to the soil surface for protection or improvement of the area covered. Mulching is really nature’s idea.

Benefits of Mulching

• When applied correctly, mulch has the following beneficial effects on plants and soil:
• Mulches prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation.
• Mulches reduce the growth of weeds, when the mulch material itself is weed-free and applied deeply enough to prevent weed germination or to smother existing weeds.
• Mulches keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, thus maintaining a more even soil temperature.
• Mulches prevent soil splashing, which not only stops erosion but keeps soil-borne diseases from splashing up onto the plants.
• Organic mulches can improve the soil structure. As the mulch decays, the material becomes topsoil. Decaying mulch also adds nutrients to the soil.
• Mulches prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the absorption and movement of water into the soil.
• Mulches prevent the trunks of trees and shrubs from damage by lawn equipment.
• Mulches help prevent soil compaction.
• Mulches can add to the beauty of the landscape by providing a cover of uniform color and interesting texture to the surface.
• Mulched plants have more roots than plants that are not mulched, because mulched plants will produce additional roots in the mulch that surrounds them.