21305 Watertown Road
Waukesha, WI 53186
262-782-6250
262-754-6003
Why Mulch?
Mulch can do wonders for improving the overall beauty and health of your landscape and plants.
While mulch can be used to improve the overall physical appearance of the landscape, the
benefits it has to offer your trees, shrubs and planting beds run far deeper than looks alone.
Mulching For the Health of Your Plants
Mulch preserves moisture by protecting the soil from drying out, and has been shown to reduce moisture loss by as much as 21% during the hot summer months.
Mulch also helps to control erosion and helps to keep the soil cool, moist, and shaded which can
help the prevention of weed and grass growth (which grow better in hot dry conditions).
How To Apply Mulch
For best results, planting beds, tree rings, and shrub beds should be cleared of any existing
weeds before the mulch is applied and spread. You may also want to install a weed barrier
(available at most garden supply centers) to help prevent new growth of weeds or grass. This
is not always necessary, although most people prefer to do so as a precautionary step in weed
control.
Care should be taken in not piling up the mulch too closely to the trunks of trees and shrubs,
as well as the stems of plants in your garden beds. One problem with piling the mulch too
closely is that during the colder winter months, mice, moles, and other small rodents tend to
burrow in this warm area and eat away at the bark. This can lead to stem damage or even kill
vour trees and shrubs.
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