Shredded Bark As Landscaping Ground Cover

Gardeners agree that mulching bare ground and around plants is THE single most important thing they can do to create low-maintenance, healthy gardens (gardening guru Paul James calls it "the greatest labor-saving gardening product ever invented"). It's right up there with choosing the right plants and watering adequately. Yep, I'd say those are the big three.

WHY?

      Oh, where to start? What's not to like about something that does all this?
    • Suppress weeds
    • Prevent drying out of soil
    • Prevent erosion
    • Reduce compaction of soil
    • Moderate soil temperature
    • Prevent mud splatter on plant and hard surfaces, like your house
    • Add nutrients to soil, plus enable the soil to better use soil nutrients from any source
    • Increase the populations of earthworm and beneficial soil microbes
    • Make gardens look well kept and amenable to planting - like gardens

WHEN?

    • Every year, when soil has warmed, which is mid-spring in most of North America, earlier in hotter places. Gardeners in colder climates often do their mulching in the fall, however, to prevent soil heaving through the winter months of freezing and thawing. More mulch can be added in the spring, as needed.
    • AND immediately after disturbing the soil, especially for planting something
    • AND to cover bare ground at any time


HOW MUCH?

    • If it's on top of a layer of compost, add 2 inches. More can be added as that breaks down over the season
    • If it's not on top of compost, use 2-3 inches, maximum
    • Sunny spots need more mulch than shady ones


HOW?

  • Remove weeds
  • Loosen top of soil (a tool called the cultivator does this job very quickly), incorporating what's left of the old mulch into the soil as you do it
  • Water well
  • Never mulch on top of plants or have mulch touching their stems and most important of all, don't pile it up against tree trunks (they're called mulch volcanoes and, though common, they're horrible for tree health!)

All mulches are available for pickup or inspection before delivery. If you would like to see an example of our work, call for a location near you where our shredded bark has been laid down.

Call (616) 836-4088 for fastest service or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.