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Landscape mulch is a
layer of some type of matter that is spread over the top
of the ground. It can be made up of a number of
different materials but the intent is to achieve one or
more of the following impacts:
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Conserve Moisture -
Mulch will shield the soil from the direct rays of
the sun thus reducing the amount of evaporation
considerably. This will help to reduce the number
irrigations and the amount of water that needs to be
applied.
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Weed Control - A
layer of mulch will force seedlings to push their
through extra layers to reach the sunlight. Many
weed seedlings will run out of energy and not be
able to make it to the sun. Certain perennials
weeds
will also be limited by mulch but may still make
their way through to the top.
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Aesthetics - In beds
and borders, a primary role of mulches is to provide
a uniform and pleasing background for the plants.
Ornamental mulches when used throughout the
landscape will provide a unifying effect to the
garden.
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Cool the Soil - By
shading the soil, it will keep the root environment
of nearby plants cooler than if they were exposed to
full sunlight. For certain plants such as
clematis
vines, this is a very valuable impact.
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Warm the Soil -
Although not commonly considered in the ornamental
landscape, certain mulches, especially plastics can
allow soils to warm up sooner in the spring and hold
heat throughout the season. This is more often used
in the vegetable garden and not in ornamental beds
and borders.
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Types of Mulching
Materials
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Organic Mulches -
Probably the most common type of ornamental mulch
for the home landscape are those of an organic
nature. This would include shredded barks, wood
chips, coccoa bean hulls and others. Generally a 2
or 3 inch layer is applied evenly over the beds and
borders each year.
- Inorganic Mulches - These materials do not
decompose and consist of rocks, gravel, brick chips
and others. Generally, some type of landscape cloth
or plastic is placed under this type of mulch. The
rocks may not decompose but the underlayment usually
does over time causing future messes.
- Artificial Films - Traditionally, black or clear
plastic sheets have been used as mulching materials
in landscape beds. These products do not allow for
the penetration of water and can cause problems over
time. Also, they tend to break down with exposure to
ultraviolet lights, become brittle and break apart.
There are now landscape mats which will allow for
water penetration.
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