Posted: May 28, 2022

As you and other Minnesotans continue through spring toward the summer months, have you thought about the mulch in and around your landscape projects? Do you intend to plant trees or shrubs and have questions about the proper methods of putting mulch around them? Do you already have trees and shrubs, but need to refresh the mulch surrounding them? Has the mulch in your landscaped areas become thin, faded, and littered with bits of trash and now requires replenishment? In the Rochester, MN, area, Maier Tree & Lawn can help you with any and all mulching questions and provide services to ensure your tree, shrubs and other landscaped areas are correctly, beautifully, and safely mulched.

What Is Mulch?

In general, mulch is a ground covering that serves a variety of uses to help protect the plants it surrounds, yet also provide eye appeal. The first thought that may come to your mind are flower gardens or landscaped settings in lush, full bloom, with cascades of colors vividly set against a background of richly colored mulch. Another very popular use for mulch is to place it around trees and bushes. While serving to keep mowing and other lawn care maintenance to a minimum, mulch provides a wealth of other desired benefits to support and safeguard the plantings it surrounds.

What Type Of Mulch Is Best?

There are many different types of mulch on the market, and some may fit your needs better than others. Mulch is basically available in two types:

  • Organic – plant-based matter that includes ground-up, chipped, or pulverized material such as pine needles, leaves, bark, and wood chips. Some materials may be colored to offer you aesthetic choices for your particular mulching needs. The benefits of organic mulch include helping provide the nourishment and support soil desires.
  • Inorganic - This includes materials like rock, stone, and pulverized rubber. While these may last longer than organic types of mulch because they don’t decompose, they don’t provide any nutrition or beneficial support to soil.

While each product has its pros and cons, organic mulch is preferred due to the exceptional nutritional benefits it provides. And, just as important, mulching must be done in a way that is safe to your plants, especially trees, to prevent injury, and worse, plant death.

Organic Mulch Has Many Benefits

Aside from helping to make your yard or garden look amazing, organic mulch provides other benefits that are simply unsurpassed, including:

  • Reducing soil compaction and/or erosion
  • Acting as an effective barrier to help prevent weeds from germinating
  • Helping to retain moisture for soil and plant roots
  • Creating an insulating barrier to maintain ideal soil temperatures
  • Providing protection against freeze/frost damage for plants with shallow roots

While it may appear easy to simply dump a pile or mulch and spread it around until you think it looks good, there’s actually a science to proper, effective, and safe mulching practices. If you have an upcoming project in the Rochester, MN, area that will require mulching, or an existing area that is in need of mulch replenishment, contact Maier Tree & Lawn today by calling (507) 286-8733. Along with our exceptional plant healthcare expertise, our trained and certified staff will gladly assess the needs of your landscaping project, discuss the options available, and perform the required services to ensure your mulching project is performed correctly and looks absolutely amazing!

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