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Mulch, Bark

Mulch

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Adding a layer of material - either organic or inorganic - on top of your soil is called mulching. The organic plant product or inorganic stone is called mulch.

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There are quite a few reasons to mulch your garden. 

  • A nice layer of mulch prevents sunlight from reaching the soil. Weed seeds may germinate, but without sunlight on the emerging leaves, the plant can't photosynthesize and quickly ends up dead.

  • Preventing sunlight from reaching the soil helps keep the temperature of the soil down and retain water in the soil. The result is lower water usage.

  • An even layer of mulch is an attractive, uniform soil surface.

  • Bark mulch will break down slowly over time, stimulating microbial activity and adding nutrients back into the soil.

  • Mulching is cost effective due to more efficient use of water and less labor required for maintenance.

mulched tree and flower bed
rock and mulch

The Pleasing Aesthetics of Stone and Bark

 

A combination of rock and bark gives the landscape a unique, contrasted look. The texture of the mulch exudes warmth and softness. The stone has a hard, industrial look. The combination is a sophisticated addition to the landscape.

 

  • The landscape design can include a border of rock around a mulched planted area.

  • Tiered sturdy beds can be built from stone retaining walls, filled with soil, planted, finished off with bark mulch.

  • A path can be made of stepping stones surrounded by mulch.

  • The texture and color available in rock can be used to create artistic patterns, shapes, and designs, integrated with areas of bark mulch.

Bark is the Preferred Mulch​

 

Some people mulch with plant material from the garden, such as fallen leaves in the fall. The problem with using freshly harvested plant material for mulching is that often decaying plant matter is ridden with bacterial or fungal disease organisms. These organisms could be destroyed in the natural heat produced by the decaying process, but when that plant material is spread in a thin layer as a mulch, the heat produced by the microorganisms breaking down the plants doesn't have a chance to raise the temperature high enough in  the decaying material to eliminate disease.

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One can safely use fully composted organic material as a mulch without concern for introducing disease organisms into the landscape.​​​

shredded bark mulch
mulched garden

​​Avoid mulch that could be toxic.

  • bark products that have been colorized

  • rubber mulch

  • cocoa shells - toxic to dogs

  • mulch made from recycled wood that has been treated with creosote or chromated copper arsenate

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Sawdust can be a problem when used as mulch. It often compacts and forms a mat that must be broken up to let water and air to the root zone of mulched plants.  The high carbon to nitrogen ratio in sawdust can contribute to nitrogen deficiency in the plants.

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Pine needles may not be a good choice for mulch because they acidify the soil as they decompose.

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Grass clippings used as a mulch can form heavy mats and bring broadleaf herbicides, if used for lawn weed management, into the planted beds.​​

Guidelines for Spreading Mulch​​

 ​Mulch should be applied from two to four inches deep, or even thicker. If you choose bark mulch in larger particles, such as 4" wood chips, you need a thicker layer than if you've chosen shredded bark. The objective is to prevent light from filtering through the mulch, so mulch with wider spaces between the particles requires a thicker application.

 

Placing a layer of decomposable wood based paper products, such as newspaper or cardboard, under the mulch adds to the efficiency of the mulch. Of course you want to use newspapers that are plain newsprint, not glossy, with either black or colored ink. Remove any plastic or tape from cardboard before placing it in the garden underneath your mulch.​​

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We don't recommend using landscape cloth under mulch, particularly stone. Dust settles and builds up on top of the landscape cloth between the stone,  eventually supporting weeds. 

laying paper and mulch
mulch volcano

It is important to keep mulch from piling up on the trunks of trees or stems of plants, creating a "mulch volcano."  Leaving space for air avoids the potential for insects or disease to move into the plant. 

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Mulch should be spread at least to the drip line of the plant, or a bit further out.

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Drip irrigation systems can be laid in the garden beneath the mulch, The drip system will be protected from the sun's heat causing the material to break down and from the sun heating the water left in the tubes after the system shuts off. ​​​​

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Mulching is one of the best

things you can do for your garden.

We Look Forward to Working With You

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We source from dozens of quarries throughout the western states to fulfill your vision. 

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