When landscaping, there are many options available to those looking to spruce up their yards. One common dilemma is whether to use stone or mulch in non-lawn areas. Both come in an array of styles and colors and have benefits to both gardening and the yard’s aesthetics. For example, both rock and mulch areas tend to inhibit weeds, reducing maintenance needs. However, there are some differences, other than mere appearances, that should be considered to pick the perfect material for your project. Continue reading →

Every year, at least 117 million U.S. citizens participate in spring gardening activities of some kind. Unfortunately, many gardeners neglect to mulch their plants when preparing their soil beds. Here are just a few of the great things that a quality bark mulch can do for your garden.

Promote Vigorous Seedling Growth

As you’re no doubt aware, seedlings are incredibly vulnerable during their first few weeks of life. A solid layer of mulch will support seedlings as they put down roots and prevent them from being damaged by strong winds, hard rains and damage from wildlife. Continue reading →

Whatever the climate, mulching is essential for new shrubs and trees. Mulch is a layer of material placed on top of the soil surface to conserve moisture and hold down weeds. It shelters plants during the winter by reducing the hazards of freezing and thawing. The abrupt warm interlude followed by the usual cold temperature damages plant roots that leads to plant damage. Mulch improves soil structure as it decomposes.

Here are some tips for people who are not yet too familiar with the use of mulch that protects plants until they become dormant: Continue reading →

If you can’t bear the thought of planting new flower beds or another round of weeding the garden, turn to mulch and stone as an alternative. These natural alternatives beautify your garden or landscape and benefit its health.

Mulch and Stone Benefits

Perhaps you think only plantings can bring new life to your yard, but mulch and stone can do the same. The benefits of these choices include:
* lending a variety of colors to the landscape,
* providing various complimentary sizes and shapes,
* improving drainage and appropriately channeling runoff water,
* creating an activity space,
* reducing yard maintenance. Continue reading →

New gardeners sometimes buy mulch without calculating how much they need to use, but that’s a mistake. Buying too much is wasteful, but buying too little is even worse because a healthy supply of mulch is vital for plant growth. Deciding how much mulch to use can be challenging, since it will depend on the type of mulch and the style of gardening that you use, but it’s worth taking the time to get it right. Continue reading →

When it comes to landscaping, stone offers both beauty and practicality. What factors should you weigh when selecting landscape stone for your outdoor living space?

1. Aesthetics

Whether you’re constructing a specific space like a walkway, patio or driveway, framing landscaping beds with stone borders to draw the eye to the natural beauty within them, or using stone to thwart weeds as an alternative to more traditional mulches, you’ll want an appealing look. Stone is available in an extensive range of colors, sizes and textures, and sheer volume of design options is rather impressive. When choosing a stone, consider which qualities will best suit the look of your home. Should you keep it simple with one type of stone or mix it up to produce decorative patterns? Personal preference is the primary influence when it comes to aesthetics. Continue reading →

Whether you are planning a new garden bed or simply getting ready for the spring growing season, the decision about which mulch to use may be in the forefront of your mind. Every gardener knows the benefits of mulch: moisture retention, weed prevention, and simply making the gardens look more beautiful and more uniform. One excellent option for mulch you may not have considered is crushed stone. Although not as popular these days as organic options, stone provides many benefits.

Why Choose Crushed Stone Mulch for Your Garden

A homeowner or gardener’s first consideration when choosing what to use in their flower gardens usually comes down to appearance. Very few would lay down an ugly groundcover even if it had other advantages. Chips and pebbles come in multiple colors and sizes to better complement your home and landscape design. Continue reading →

Bark or Stone Mulch: which is better?

Your home provides comfort and shelter to your loved ones, but is more than just the house and furnishings. It’s also the shrubs, trees and flowers that beautify and protect your property. They help prevent erosion and secure the foundation on which your house stands.

One of the essential tools to maintain the effectiveness of your landscape protection is mulch. However, there are numerous types of mulch available. The two primary categories of mulch which can be found anywhere in the country are bark and stone – but which is better for you? As the Augusta Chronicle in Georgia recently pointed out, mulch choice matters.

In deciding between stone or bark, and the appropriate amount you need, you should consider a number of factors: Continue reading →

If you want to keep your garden beautiful and healthy throughout the winter season, the most effective way is to cover it with a blanket of winter mulch. You are probably used to spreading mulch on your spring garden to protect new plants and to smother out annoying weeds. Your winter garden also needs special protection and can benefit from a good layer of mulch. It provides a safe haven for the dormant plants that will come up again in a couple of months.

Mulch is used on the surface of the soil as a protective barrier. Some of the most common mulches used are crushed stone, hemlock mulch, and bark mulch. These mulches also come in different sizes and grades. It protects plant roots in the frigid winter temperatures and prevents them from being shifted around in the soil by the wind. When you mulch your garden in the winter, you will also be helping it fight soil erosion by ice and snow. According to an online article from the University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science, mulching is a must for perennial plants. Continue reading →

Cedar mulch ready for the new garden

Ordering garden mulch can seem like an intimidating venture if you have seen a big pile of freshly delivered mulch sit on the edge of your neighbor’s yard for months. However, ordering bulk mulch does not mean you will have a pile of wood chips sitting on your lawn indefinitely. You’ll want to use it quickly since mulch provides a number of benefits. To get a better idea of how bulk mulch should be delivered and how it is used, keep reading.

Having your bulk mulch delivered by pros

When you work with landscapers or high-end homes, you learn the finer points of mulch delivery and what can go wrong. For example, some companies think it is okay to rush through the job and dump a bunch of mulch on the property. Instead, we take the time to deliver large orders of mulch to the owners’ specifications. This means delivering the mulch to a specific area of the yard that will not cover expensive turf or stain pavements. We also place a tarp under the mulch delivery to make it easier to use or clean up. Continue reading →