Mulches for your garden beds- organic, inorganic and living mulches

Mulch offers many advantages to a planting bed.  It conserves moisture, insulates the soil from temperature extremes, reduces weed germination (or at least makes it easier to pull them out), adds aesthetic appeal in color and texture variance, promotes good soil texture without compaction, eliminates cultivating around the base of plants where roots might be damaged, and prevents rain splash on plants.

Mulches work by eliminating light from weeds; therefore, the thickness needs to be about 3” thick.

There are 2 kinds of non living mulches:

1. Organic - made from plants.  Examples are shredded or chipped bark, lawn clippings, and pine cones.  Many of these will decompose as they age but this adds nutrients and texture to the soil. 
2. Inorganic - Examples are rock and gravel, manufactured pellets from tires, plastic sheeting and landscape fabric. 

Installation: Remove all perennial weeds including thick rootstocks.  Place edging around the bed to hold the materials in place. 

For organic mulches, apply bark chips 2-4” thick onto the prepared ground. Bark mulch can be stirred up every 4 months to freshen its look, but should be topped once a year with new mulch If you’re using lawn clippings, apply in thinner layers, as they become slimy if too thick.

For inorganic mulches  landscape fabric should be applied under the mulch. This way the mulch will not be 'absorbed' into the ground. When spreading more than a width of fabric, there needs to be a 6" overlap. You can use sod staples (metal U shaped pins) to secure the overlaps, especially on slopes. Try to fit the fabric under the edging materials. For trees, shrubs and perennials, lay fabric down, and cut an X in the fabric and install plants. Keep the fabric and the mulch a few inches away from the base and crowns of your shrubs and perennials, to ensure the roots receive moisture and air, and to prevent rodents and pest damage. There are different thicknesses of fabric, which affects its strength and durability. The thicker it is, the better the barrier.

By using different colors, sizes, or types of rock, you can  vary  the  design or effect you want. 

Living mulches 
Plants that spread to cover the ground offer a barrier which prevents weeds from becoming 
established.

They need to be selected for the site conditions and be of the three “L’s”- low growing, leafy and lush.  Be advised that some plants may become invasive.  Try to choose plants that are low maintenance and attractive.  Some examples of these are thyme, junipers, snow-in-summer, bearberry, bird’s foot trefoil, and goutweed. 

Try using mulches in your planting beds...you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results!!
 
  snow in summer photo by: www.birdsandblooms.com 
  other photos by: Prairie Scapes