Video:Add Mulch to Your Garden

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Transcript:Add Mulch to Your Garden

I'm Amanda Switzer for About.com Home. Not only is mulching your garden beds, foundation plantings, trees, and shrubs a great way to keep weeds at bay, it helps the soil retain moisture, and maintain an even temperature while adding a finished look to your landscape.

What is Garden Mulch?

Mulch is usually made from natural materials and is spread over the soil, after adding new plants, weeding, or at the beginning or end of the season.

Choosing Garden Mulch

Selecting what kind of mulch you want depends on a few factors. First, make sure that the mulch you pick works in the environment you are working in. For example, pine needle mulch is acidic, so you wouldn't want to spread it on your English garden, instead, you would use it in seaside plating.

Also be sure that the mulch you by is not diseased, some tree companies or townships try to sell or give away the material they shred up and there could be potential problems if you add diseased wood to your soil. Buy from reputable companies and select the type that best fits your working area.

Bagged Mulch

You can by mulch that comes in bags or but it by the yard at a landscape supply company, with the latter being more economical. Bagged mulch is easy to handle and can be stored in a dry place for future use and you are able to transport bagged mulch in your car as well.

Bulk Mulch

Buying mulch in bulk is also very economical. The supply yard will deliver the mulch to your property and dump it in an area that you designate. Be sure to identify clearly the drop off zone, otherwise you might not be able to pull into your driveway, or pull out!

Spreading Mulch

When you are spreading mulch make sure you don't over-mulch. Be sure not to pile it up around the base of trees plants and shrubs. This will only create a place for insects and disease by creating a home for excess moisture. Also make sure you don't mulch over weeds, because weeds are tenacious and will poke right through. So thoroughly de weed your garden and add preen, a weed preventative, to the soil.

Once you have dumped the mulch thought the garden, take a rake and even it out, spreading it to the edges of the garden and giving it a finished, neat look.

Instead of slaving over the weeds in your garden, mulching now will give you back your summer. No more weeding on the weekends, and your plants will be happy too. To learn more, visit us on the Web at homegarden.about.com.