Mulch, Mulch, & Mulch + Q&A

Let’s talk MULCH! I’m giving you the inside scoop along with the most asked questions I receive when I chat about mulch and my answers to those questions!

I haven’t done a gardening post in quite some time. Most of my gardening info can be found here and here. This time of year I get oodles of questions about mulch, especially when I start talking about it… so I thought I’d tackle some frequently asked questions and give some more detailed info.

Mulch will be your best friend when gardening!

Mulch conserves soil moisture, improves fertility and the health of the soil, reduces weed growth and visually adds to the appearance of an area. A win win win!

A mulch is usually, (but not always) organic in nature. It may be permanent (e.g. plastic sheeting, landscape fabric) or temporary (e.g. bark chips, grass clippings, newspaper, straw, rocks). Mulches of manure or compost will be incorporated naturally into the soil by the activity of worms and other organisms.

My favorite place to get mulch is from a local green dump (almost every city has one!) If you don’t have a local green dump, most nurseries carry mulch that can be purchased by the bag, or even the truckload.

My favorite mulch is the small bark chip type compost mulch; the kind that looks like the brand, soil pep. I love this because at the end of the season (and when planting) it can be worked into the soil, adding great organic material to make for a healthier soil.

I mulch THICK; about 2-3 inches deep. This ensures I enjoy all the benefits of adding mulch!

Spring is a great time to mulch your garden beds. Functional + beautiful.

Frequently asked questions about mulch: Real Life questions I got asked on my social media feeds.

Q: If you add 2-3 inches every year, do you find that you have too much after a few years? Does it spill over your garden area? Or does it break down enough each year to manage?

A: No! Organic mulches will break down very quickly over the course of a year. Organic mulches can decompose and provide nutrients to the soil while also encouraging beneficial soil organisms and worm activity. All of our soils need constant replenishment of organic matter.

Q:Is compost the same as mulch? Also, do you find that you get any weeds from this type of mulch? Because it’s a mixture of everything? Or is it? 

A (Part 1): Mulch and compost are not synonymous. Simply put, mulch is applied to the top layer of soil to help control weeds, retain moisture, and regulate temperature, whereas compost is applied beneath the top layer of soil to benefit the soil by providing essential nutrients. But mulch can be compost when turned in. Does that cause any confusion? Haha! I’m a 100% believer in using organic mulch that can be worked into your soil over time and receive the benefits the organic a matter as a compost.

A (Part 2): If you use quality composted mulch, it will have been made hot enough in the decomposing process to kill weed seed. If you are using fresh grass clippings as mulch, be sure to bag and use it when your turf is not actively seeding. As those seeds would be viable and able to grow.

Q:Are you using this wood mulch in vegetable gardens?

A: Yes. But this is a composted mulch. If you were to but raw sawdust shavings in your garden for instance, it would deplete the nitrogen from your soil, which in turn would not be good for your plants.

Q: Do you mulch before or after planting?

A: Both, hahah! My perennial beds that are all ready planted from years past, get mulch in early spring when they are still mostly dormant, it makes mulching much easier. I mulch right up the the plants, and if they are still under ground, waiting to break dormancy, they get mulched over. For my veggie garden, typically I try and mulch before planting because it makes my life much easier than going around little seedlings and plants. If I get all my mulch down early before starting any of my seeds for the season, when planting seeds, I will make a row and pull back the mulch to plant in soil. As the seeds germinate, emerge and get larger, I can the pull the mulch back up around the plant when ready.

Here is a little video of what mulching looks like for us.
Any questions on mulch? Ask below!

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XO, Carly