Beautiful yards and public spaces do not happen by accident. They require careful planning. Mulch plays a huge role in creating beautiful landscapes. In fact, 57 percent of the landscaping supplies that we sold last spring was total mulch. This mulching blog focuses on why mulch is important and how you can plan for mulch delivery.
Why Mulch Is Important
Mulch is important for a variety of reasons and those reasons change based on how the application of mulch occurs. For example, why and how mulch usage occurs in a flower bed is different from how we use it in a playground setting. Yet, both locations benefit greatly from the addition of mulch.
Benefits of Mulch
In landscaping, mulch is an excellent tool that:
- Helps to keep weed growth down to a minimum by allowing for the use of weed cloth and in conjunction with time released herbicides.
- Helps improve soil moisture levels during the hotter months by reducing evaporation of water at the soil surface.
- Creates a finished look to flower beds and vegetable gardens, especially when colored mulch is part of the bed’s design.
- Helps to control insects in two ways. Cedar mulch, which is available for delivery only in Virginia is a well-known insect repellant. The second way that mulch helps control insects is when used with time release pesticides. Just place the pesticide on the soil’s surface and the mulch is then placed over the pesticide granules. The mulch keeps the pesticides in place and allows them to provide better coverage for controlling pest insects.
- Mixes well with other products such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and irrigation.
- Provides a boost to soil nutrients. As mulch decomposes it returns nutrients back to the soil.
- Keeps fertilizer in place. In much the same way that mulch helps keep pesticides and herbicides in place, it also helps to keep fertilizer in place. This makes it easier to use special types of fertilizer on specific plants and to add fertilizer to a broader area.
- Protects drip irrigation and soaker hoses from sun damage by making it easy to cover irrigation lines and soaker hoses.
The list of benefits that mulch provides is long and each of these examples is also an example of good planning. As you plan your landscaping projects this year consider the benefits of mulch delivery. At Saunders Landscaping Supply, we make it easy to address landscaping issues before they occur. Insect control is an excellent example of how landscape planning benefits not only the landscape but also how much enjoyment we receive from the landscape.
How to Plan for Mulch Usage in Landscape Design
Whether you are installing a playground, maintaining a garden, or looking for ways to improve the curb appeal of your home landscape planning matters. With any project, planning starts with addressing your goals. What do you want to achieve? Can Mulch help you achieve your goals? Let’s explore.
At Saunders Landscape Supply, we make landscaping projects easier. First, we offer a huge selection of products that we will deliver directly to your driveway. We stock six types of mulch each of which helps add to your landscaping project. We offer three variations of color enhanced mulch — Red, brown, and black — that make a beautifully cohesive and attractive landscaping statement.
Weed Control and Mulch
Mulch is a great tool for weed abatement. Simply place weed cloth over the area and stake it. Next add mulch to the top and you have reduced your labor requirement for weeding large areas and added an attracted look to your landscape design. A good tip for this project is to use two kinds of mulch. Once you place the weed cloth, cover it with wood chips as these decompose slower. The final step is to cover the wood chips with double shredded hardwood mulch or leaf mulch. Both decompose faster than do wood chips. This means that next year, you need only to replace the top layer for a stunning look to your landscape.
In areas where weeds are insanely out of control, consider using weed specific herbicide granules on the soil surface and then placing the weed cloth. This will reduce the weeds before they reach the weed cloth.
Reach out to us about your landscaping projects as our professionals can help you achieve a cost-effective landscape without cost-saving tips.
Save on Watering
Mulch helps you reduce your water usage in a couple of ways. First, it helps retain soil moisture so that you water less frequently. Second, it provides an easy way to protect soaker hoses and drip irrigation from UV exposure and decomposition. Using mulch to protect irrigation helps you save water by making it easier and more affordable to install and maintain irrigation.
Pest Control and Mulch
Mulch makes a perfect cover for pest control products. If you use time release products, the mulch helps to keep the pesticides in place so that they have time to do their job. Without mulch, pesticides wash away, especially on slopes. The same is true with herbicides.
Plan Now for Spring Landscaping Projects
Saunders Landscape Supply makes it easy to order mulch for delivery. You don’t have to miss work as we will deliver mulch to your driveway even when you are not home.
We have a five cubic yard minimum for delivery and there is no delivery fee. You can order online or call us directly.
In Maryland Phone: (301) 461-5687
In Northern Virginia Phone: (703) 764-4831
Mulch delivery makes landscaping project easier and yards more beautiful. What’s on your spring landscaping calendar?