Mulch not only adds a finishing touch to your gardening beds and is aesthetically pleasing, but also benefits your landscape in a big way. Although it’s not a mandatory addition to your garden beds, the benefits of a properly mulched garden are definitely worth the effort and cost.
Mulch helps to slow down weed germination and growth by blocking the unwanted plants from the sun. Weeds aren’t just ugly; they actually steal nutrients from your precious plants and can inhibit growth. Mulch helps keep weeds at bay in the garden without hindering the growth of your plants, bulbs or wildflowers.
A nice, thick layer of mulch helps to regulate the growing conditions in your garden. It keeps the soil temperature from becoming too hot or cold, leveling the temperature underneath the mulch. It also helps to hold in soil moisture, keeping your plants from drying out and making you able to water the garden less. Mulch is known to cut water use by 25 to 50 percent in some studies, which makes a big difference – especially if you are trying to conserve water. A nice layer of mulch also helps deter soil erosion, which can be a big problem.
In Rhode Island, mulch is especially helpful because it helps protect your plants from winter cold and keeps them nice and safe underneath the ground. Even young plants will stay healthy and dormant in the winter with a nice layer of mulch. Our organic mulch can also help add nutrition to the garden as it breaks down throughout the season.
Aesthetically, mulch helps add a cohesive look to any landscape and really turns a garden into a formalized landscape. Whether you like red, black or brown mulch, it helps to make your garden look finished throughout the season.
Have trees in your landscape that you’d like to keep healthy? Replace the grass underneath the trees with mulch to help trap in moisture and minimize competition for nutrients. This actually mimics the way trees grow in nature, which will keep your tree healthy and growing strong. When adding mulch underneath trees or shrubs, make sure to leave 6-12” around the base before the mulch starts.
Before applying mulch, we recommend removing all existing weeds and watering your garden thoroughly. This will help give your garden a nice, fresh start before the layer of much is added. We recommend applying mulch 2-4 inches deep in the garden. This allows for enough protection to keep moisture trapped in, soil temperatures steady and weed suppression, but doesn’t take away from your plants’ need for sunlight.
Have questions about mulching or want us to come over and mulch for you? We’re happy to help! Simply send us an email or fill out our contact form on our website.
Landscaping with plants native to our region is extremely important for several reasons. Native plants tend to do better in our gardens, require less water, and attract native wildlife to the garden. We wanted to highlight our top 7 favorite native plants to Southern Rhode Island. Don’t forget, we can 
Wild Red Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, is a shade-loving beauty that is extremely easy to grow and provides early season color to the garden. New England Aster, or Aster novae-angliae, is a striking Wildflower that attracts butterlies and hummingbirds to the garden, blooming in the late summer to fall.
