Mulch for a Healthy Garden

black shredded hardwood garden mulch

Black shredded hardwood mulch

One of the best things a gardener can do is to learn how to use mulch. Mulch is one of the most powerful timesaving techniques that you can use to help ensure a healthy garden. When you start to enjoy the benefits of mulching, you will be amazed at the many ways it improves your garden. Here is a closer look at the types of garden mulch you can use mulch to achieve a healthy garden.

Organic Mulches

Most gardeners who want a healthy garden will use the environmentally friendly organic mulches. Organic mulches are made from natural materials that will break down over time. As these organic mulches break down, they improve the soil by adding nutrients. Therefore, using organic varieties of mulch is a great way to boost the health and yield of your garden.

Wood Chips and Bark Mulch

The most commonly used type of organic mulch is mulch that is made from wood. Many gardeners decide to use bark mulch. It is good for your garden, and you can find it almost everywhere. You can find bark mulch at local garden centers, big box retailers and hardware stores.

An even less expensive option is to go with wood chips. “You can actually use virtually any organic material for mulch but wood chips seem to be one of the best,” For consistent quality, contact your local mulch dealer for the best mulch for your garden. They offer mulch sourced from different trees. This offers you different color and texture options for your design and landscaping needs.

Leaves and Grass Clippings

If you want a 100 percent free organic mulch source, you can just use the leaves and grass clipping you collect in your yard. If you want to use the fallen leaves in your yard, you need to shred them before you use them as mulch. You can buy a leaf shredder for this purpose, but you can save money by simply collecting them with your lawn mower and a bag attachment. The mower blades will shred the leaves to the perfect size and consistency for mulching.

Compost

Compost also works as a mulch, and it will definitely enrich your soil well. However, most people do not have enough compost to make it their sole mulching option. Instead, you can mix your compost with another organic mulch to stretch it further.

Mulching is one of the most powerful tools a gardener has. Make sure that you always have plenty of mulch on hand to keep your garden plants healthy and hearty. Don’t forget to periodically reapply your mulch to keep the roots of your plants protected.

Ask the Mulch Experts at Melvin Mulch. They can provide good advice as to which garden mulch is best for you.