What’s the Best Way to Apply Mulch?
Yes, there is a best way to apply mulch. Mulching is often simpler than many people make it out to be, but there are some best practices that will go a long way in making your mulch application more successful. There are only a few steps necessary when you find it time to lay down new mulch. If you aren’t sure which mulch is right for you, take a look at all the products on our website. Once you find the right one, use the mulch calculator to determine how much you might need!
Mulching is easy!
Remove the Old Mulch
First, you are going to want to take out a majority of the old mulch that is currently in your flower beds. Leaving the old mulch in will make your landscape look as though it is elevated. This elevation can lead to your plants not getting the nutrients necessary to grow because the roots are planted in the old mulch and not reaching the soil beneath. This is not always necessary, as mulch slowly decomposes over time and will eventually become soil.
Mulching bed around the house and bushes, wheelbarrel along with a showel.
After scraping out the old mulch left in your beds, you may want to apply weed fabric over the top of your soil. Weed fabric can discourage weeds from growing in and around your plants and it also helps the soil to conserve moisture. Weed fabric is optional and totally up to you.
Collect the Right Tools for Mulching
It is now time to begin mulching! The process of mulching itself can be a daunting task, especially when dealt with a large pile in your driveway. For this reason, we recommend you get all the help you can to ensure that you aren’t left spreading mulch for weeks on end.
The Best Way to Apply Mulch
Grab a wheelbarrow, a shovel or a pitchfork, and a rake. Use the pitchfork or shovel to load the mulch into your wheelbarrow. Push the wheelbarrow over to your desired destination, and dump! After this, use the pitchfork to evenly distribute the mulch. Finish it off by going over it with the rake to ensure that you don’t miss any spots!
When applying the mulch, we recommend that you spread it anywhere between 2-4 inches deep. This will give your beds a clean, aesthetically pleasing look. You don’t want the soil underneath to be showing, but you also don’t want to make it look like you have mounds of mulch lying around in places.
Evenly spreading allows your landscape to look great and allows for the sunlight, water, and nutrients to seep through to your plant’s roots.
