What are the best tips for mulching in Pennsylvania?

If you are the average homeowner, you probably spend close to 70 or more hours a year in your yard. Of course, this doesn’t include planting any Crepe Myrtle trees or adding hydrangea bushes to accent the exterior of your home. However, it does matter if you are keeping up with the daily maintenance of your lawn and making sure your yard is looking its best – regardless of the season. 

One of the most incredible ways to help cut down on maintenance and give your yard that fresh, crisp appearance is to add mulch. That’s why our reliable team has compiled some of the best tips on choosing and installing mulch and adding to that perfect curb appeal.

Rish’s Complete Lawn Care wants to share the top mulching tips with North Wales, Perkasie, and Doylestown, PA.

How do you choose the right mulch?

Have you ever stood in a garden store and thought, where do I start? How can I pick just the right type of mulch for my yard? Let’s start with where you need to apply the mulch in your yard. Is it around your deck or patio? Could it be on a walkway? Or do you want to apply around your trees and bushes? Because mulch comes in so many colors and textures, it gives the ability to accent your yard and add protection from the different weather elements, making it a great way to cut down on maintenance. 

Now, let’s think about adding mulch to your trees and bushes. To get the best results, you want to use organic wood mulch. So whether it’s cedar, wood chips, shredded bark, or pine bark, each type allows you the opportunity to help keep a balanced temperature in the soil and also will deter weeds from popping up everywhere. 

Wood mulch also will decompose into the ground and add nutrients that will help keep your trees and plants healthy. The disadvantage of wood mulch is it tends to turn gray, which can take away your curb appeal, so you will need to replace it every few years. If you want to get some additional time with mulch, you may choose red mulch as it will hold its color longer than other styles.

Another choice for your yard could be rubber mulch. It has excellent results when applied to a playground or walkway as it’s very durable and brings another texture to your yard. In addition, it comes in various colors so that you can match it to the exterior of your home. One of the best things about rubber mulch is its heavier consistency, which helps deter weeds and protects the soil from too much sunlight. 

A disadvantage of rubber mulch is that it will keep in the heat, so you don’t want to put it near any plants or trees as it will cause stress over time to your yard. It also has an odor when the temperatures get too high, so be sure not to add near any areas that you use for entertaining. Lastly, it does have zinc which can create a harmful environment for your plants and pets.

Adding stone will bring outstanding results if your goal is to take your yard to another level. With all the choices like lava rock, river rock, quartz rock, and pea gravel, you will indeed find something that will compliment your yard and help minimize maintenance. The best thing about rock is that it withstands all weather elements, and it doesn’t need to be replaced like wood mulch. 

It is more expensive than mulch, but it also is a one-time expense. Be sure not to add too close to your plants and trees, as it will hold heat in the soil and could damage your plants.

You also may want to add rock to areas in the yard that slope and retain water as the rock helps absorb the water and keeps the soil free from attracting pests that feed on moisture in your yard. 

For all you gardeners, you may want to straw mulch. It not only decomposes and adds additional nourishment to your crops, but it also helps to keep those annoying weeds away. But, of course, that is the best part! Be sure not to pile on straw mulch on the stems as it can form slugs which are never pleasant in your yard.

What should I know about applying mulch?

One of the primary purposes of applying mulch is protecting your yard against weeds. You need to add approximately 2 inches of evenly spread mulch throughout your yard to accomplish this. This will cut down on spending endless hours picking weeds and also help to keep other diseases from forming.

You never want to apply too much mulch around your trees and plants, as it can create a mulch volcano. What is a mulch volcano? This is when the mulch has caused stress to your plants and trees and takes away oxygen because it has piled up around the base of your plant without it having anywhere else to go. In addition, it will create a home for pests and diseases, and unfortunately, it can result in excessive damage to your yard. 

Another thing to remember is never to apply mulch on a windy day. First, you will be wasting money having the mulch fly all-around, and it can wind up on your lawn which will cause damage as once it gets in your lawn, it can suffocate the grass and stunt its growth.

Now, are you ready for the best tip when applying mulch: sit back on your couch and watch out the front window while our dependable team does the job for you. We provide premium lawn maintenance services that include leaf removal, landscaping, aeration, overseeding, and mulching. So leave all your lawn care to our reliable team and let Rish’s Complete Lawn Care take the stress out of trying to have that perfect curb appeal.