Spreading Bark Mulch

I love the sweet smell of freshly laid bark mulch. Its scent in the neighborhood is a sure sign that it is time to clean up the garden beds. A fresh layer of bark mulch outside is like a fresh coat of paint inside. There are many choices of bark mulch from basic pine to premium hemlock and colors from bright red to black. I prefer a pine or a pine blend and opt for a natural brown hue, as opposed to anything that has been dyed. In addition to improving the look of your landscape, a layer of mulch provides many benefits for plants. It is a great weed suppressant and the weeds that do come up are easier to pull as long as long as you get to them before the roots go down deep into the soil. Mulches also protects plants by retaining moisture in the soil and moderating its temperature. This is especially important when the first heat wave hits before newly planted vegetables and annuals have taken hold - like today which reached 84 degrees!

As with plants that you buy, it is important to know your source. I learned my lesson this year. I wasn't sure how much I would actually need as I was just planning on touching up some areas around the yard so I decided to just purchase bags. Although it would involve numerous trips using the trunk of my car, I figured I could pick up a few every day on my way home from work and save the cost of a bulk delivery. I got home with the first load and opened up two bags I was greeted by an awful stench! When I poured the contents on the ground it came out as several solid chunks covered with white mold. The mulch has so compacted that I could not even break it apart with a shovel. I wasted no time returning the remaining bags to the store the next morning. Although I did receive a complete refund, it was disappointing that the store was willing to sell a product that had obviously been in storage for a while and most likely under less than ideal conditions. I ended up calling a local landscaping company and had five yards of freshly processed New Hampshire pine mulch delivered. I am very happy with the product and am looking forward to finish spreading the rest of the pile this weekend.