The Complete Guide For Mulching Your Home’s Garden

Step 1: Preliminary Research and Preferences

You need to research before starting any new venture (especially one that might involve an upfront investment). Mulch is no different. Before you make a purchase, you’ll want to determine your preferences, figure out the right mulch and find the right company.

Determining Your Preferences

If you already have a basic understanding of mulch, you can do this part first—or maybe you already know your preferences. But if you don’t know enough about mulch to have an opinion, you can decide your preferences after researching.

This part of the buyer’s journey has no right or wrong answers. Instead, it’s about what you like best. Ask yourself the following:

• Do I want a colored or natural mulch?
• Do I like the look of shredded or larger mulch (like bark) better?
• Is there a specific color (or two colors) that best matches my outdoor space’s aesthetic?
• Where would I most like to spread this mulch when I buy it?
• Are there any mulch colors or types that I don’t like aesthetically?

Sometimes, our preferences don’t match with the right mulch for our usage needs. When this happens, consider if there are compromises you can make. For example, you might want red bark mulch because you love how it looks, but shredded is a better choice for your needs. Consider meeting halfway with red shredded mulch.

Figuring Out the Right Mulch

There are numerous mulch types you could choose from. However, they’ll all fall under organic or inorganic mulch. Organic mulch is superior because it feeds your garden beds and soil as it decomposes, making your property healthier overall.

There are also a few types of organic mulch, but hardwood varieties are your best choice, with few exceptions. Hardwood mulch is denser and doesn’t disrupt your garden’s pH level like softwood does – plus, hardwood is generally safe for your family and pets.

Although cedar mulch is a popular choice for its sweet aroma, it’s also toxic for pets and dangerous to anyone with potential allergies. For this reason, we don’t recommend it.

You may find it overwhelming to know there are even several hardwood mulches. But we’ve made it easy to figure out the right garden mulch for you based on your expected use and preferences:

• Choose bark mulch varieties for weed prevention
• Opt for black mulch if you live in a very cold climate
• Opt for finely shredded mulch in or near playgrounds and seating areas
• Garden beds do well with most hardwood mulch types
• Black mulch is excellent for modern outdoor spaces
• Red mulch is perfect for rustic themes
• Natural mulch works well if you want your flowers to take center stage
• Brown mulch is great if you’re looking for a simple, understated, yet neat aesthetic

Finding the Right Company

Choosing the right mulch company is almost as important as picking the right mulch. After all, the company you purchase from affects your whole buying experience and the quality of mulch you receive.

Look for a company that:

• Is locally operated, with locally sourced wood: This ensures your garden mulch won’t come infested with invasive species that wreak havoc on your yard and, eventually, your whole region.
• Has a positive reputation: Ask people you know and read online reviews because the experience others had with a company is a good indicator of your experience.
• Offer various mulch options: Everyone loves choices! At Lumberjacks, we offer customers four quality mulches: premium hardwood, bark, chocolate and red!
• Provide excellent customer service: Call the company and ask questions or stop by in person to assess their customer service. Reviews may also mention this aspect.
• Goes beyond for their customers: For example, our company uses kiln-dried wood to create our garden mulch, so you don’t have to worry about mold, mildew, pests, chemicals or anything else being in the final product!

Step 3: Laying Garden Mulch

The time has finally come to start laying garden mulch and see the fruits of your efforts! Below, learn where you can spread your mulch and a few helpful tips for the process. Good luck!

Where to Spread

Everyone knows mulch can be spread on flower beds and garden plots, but did you know there are other excellent places to use it? For example, garden mulch makes beautiful natural pathways through your yard. It can also highlight seating areas, playgrounds, landscaping centerpieces, or create borders around your driveway and sidewalks. Feel free to get creative!

Tips and Tricks for Spreading

Before laying mulch in a garden bed, edge the area to prevent spillage. You can also create a barrier with bricks, stones or small metal fence lines. Pull any weeds in the bed and place very small mounds of garden mulch throughout. Use a rake or gloved hands to smooth out these small mounds. If necessary, add additional handfuls to reach your desired depth and coverage.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when laying new mulch:

• Always spread mulch to a depth of two to four inches. Anything deeper will suffocate your plants, while anything less will be ineffective.
• Leave at least one inch of bare soil around trees, shrubs, and flowers. This gives the root systems room to breathe.
• Keep mulch at least two inches from the side of your home and other buildings. This prevents attracting termites and other bugs to your home.
• Avoid excessive watering of freshly mulched areas for at least 24 hours. Lightly misting your plants is fine.
• Get the whole family involved, especially if you’re spreading a lot. Even children can help with mulch—and they’ll probably have a lot of fun doing it!
• Avoid gardening plastics and fabrics. These slow the decomposition of soil-enriching mulches like organic hardwoods.
• Wear a face mask if you’re prone to allergies. You’ll also want to shower as soon as you go inside to rinse off any residual pollen.
• Remember to protect your skin when working outside for long periods. Wear sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and loose, breathable clothing.

If You Laid Down Too Much…

Excessive mulch can suffocate your plants, so you don’t want to leave it. If you have more than two to four inches in flower beds, you have two choices:

1. Gently rake the excess out of your flower bed and into a neat pile
2. Use your hands to scoop the excess mulch out

You can redistribute the mulch to another area of your yard or store it in a container for later use. If storing, ensure it’s not somewhere that it will get wet, or else the mulch may eventually mold.

If You Made a Mess…

Did your garden mulch go where you didn’t mean for it to? Did you accidentally leave small pieces or even little piles on your lawn or driveway? One easy way to do it is to use a yard vacuum – usually, these are dual-purpose and also serve as a leaf blower. With one, take the nozzle over the areas where you made a mess, and cleanup is a breeze!

Don’t have a yard vacuum? No worries! Just rake (or sweep, as appropriate) all the mulch into a pile and redistribute it where you want it.

Step 4: Maintaining Your Organic Mulch

Garden mulch is a very low-maintenance addition to your property but isn’t precisely a one-and-done event. Below, learn what you need to do to maintain your mulch on an ongoing and annual basis.

Annual Maintenance

Once a year, you’ll want to refresh your organic premium mulch. Since you’re using an organic option, removing the old mulch is unnecessary. In fact, it’s better not to! That old mulch will continue decomposing and feeding the soil! Instead, use a rake to break apart any clumps that have happened over time.

Then, spread a thin layer of new covering to account for anything lost during the year. This will keep it looking neat for another 12 months. Remember to keep the mulch to less than four inches maximum, even when laying new.

We recommend doing this in the spring when you get out into the yard after the long, cold winter. We also recommend you avoid laying mulch when the ground is still wet from rain or cold with frost.

Ongoing Maintenance

When working in your yard, look at your mulch and see if it needs to be topped up with fresh mulch. Also, see if clumps need to be raked out or if any random weeds have come through. While mulch is excellent at suppressing weeds, some can get through it occasionally.