3 Tips For Better Lawn Mulching
Posted on: 15 June 2018
A vibrant and lush lawn can contribute to the beauty of your home's landscape. Caring for your lawn properly often means mulching your landscape on a regular basis. Mulch products can be extremely beneficial in improving the quality of your soil and helping to promote better growth patterns.
Although mulching is a valuable tool when it comes to caring for your lawn, improper mulching could damage your grass and leave your landscape in distress.
1. Make sure you weed before mulching.
One of the benefits that mulch can provide is the deterrence of weed growth. Weeds compete with the plants in your landscape for resources. Since weeds are often more aggressive than desirable plants, your landscape might suffer if weeds are allowed to remain.
Mulch helps to block the sunlight that new weeds need to germinate. Unfortunately, existing weeds can often continue growing without access to ample sunlight. Be sure that you remove any weeds from your lawn prior to applying any mulch products for maximum results.
2. Use caution when layering mulch.
Mulch needs to be thick enough to retain moisture and block out weed growth, but thin enough to allow oxygen and other resources to access your soil. Many homeowners make the mistake of laying mulch on too thick. This can actually cause your lawn to begin to rot, requiring a total replacement of the sod in your landscape.
Ask a landscaping professional service such as QUALITY CUT LAWN SERVICE for recommendations regarding the correct thickness for lawn mulch. Optimal thickness can vary based on rainfall, temperature, and sunlight exposure.
3. Use mulch during the winter.
Many homeowners believe that mulching is something you do in the spring. While applying mulch in spring can promote better plant growth, your lawn can benefit from mulch in the wintertime as well. If you live in an area where outdoor temperatures drop below freezing in the winter, your landscape may be susceptible to frost heaving.
Frost heaving occurs when the soil freezes and thaws repeatedly as winter temperatures fluctuate. The soil expands and contracts with each freeze/thaw cycle. Frost heaving can expose the roots of your grass to winter weather, compromising the health of your lawn when spring rolls around.
Applying mulch in the winter helps to keep the soil a more consistent temperature so that frost heave can't wreak havoc on your landscape.
Using mulch correctly can help you better care for your home's landscape in the future.
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