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Mulch is that character in the movie who does all the real problem-solving behind the scenes (computer whiz/gadget guru, e.g. Ving Rhames's character in Mission Impossible) while the dashing lead character gets all the credit and drives away in a tricked-out sports car. Nothing gets accomplished without them, but they're always stuck in an old van in a dark parking lot.
Let’s list all the magical things that unappreciated mulch does for us in our gardens:
- Suppresses weeds
- Retains moisture so you don’t have to water as much
- Cools soil to reduce plant stress during extreme heat
- Prevents disease
- Adds rich organic material to your soil as it breaks down
- Prevents erosion
And the list goes on…
Since I know you will ask, I use plain, shredded hardwood mulch. I can find it at any garden center, and I can buy 10 bags of it for less money than a bottle of fancy fertilizer costs.
Here are a few more tips:
- Make sure that your mulch is always at least 3” deep. (That’s deeper than you think it is, so measure and top it off if necessary.)
- Leave a small ring of bare soil around the base of your plant. If you cover the stem with mulch it can encourage rot.
- And for the love…. don’t mound mulch up around the trunk of your trees. I challenge you to drive around and notice how many trees are planted 1) too deep, and 2) with mulch piled up around the base of the trunk like a turtleneck sweater. It’s VERY bad for the tree. (Stepping off soap box, now…)
- When you need to amend beds with compost or mix in fertilizer or sow seeds, simply rake the mulch to the side of your bed, and then rake it back after mixing in your amendments or once your germinated seedlings are 4 inches tall (or so).
But seriously, just mulch your gardens. (And if you see someone on IG bragging about how they don’t use mulch, just ask them where they live. Bet you $100 it’s not Texas.)
GO FORTH AND MULCH!
D.I.Y. doesn't have to look B.A.D.
The Well-Designed Garden
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GOOD THINGS ON THE HORIZON
Upcoming classes:
MARCH 30, LIVE THIS SATURDAY- Summer Bulbs for a Tropical Paradise Garden with Brent Heath
Saturday, March 30, 10am - 12pm, Live Online
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2024 North Texas Garden Planner
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“
If words are seeds,
let flowers grow
from your mouth,
not weeds.
If hearts are gardens,
plant those flowers
in the chest of the ones
who exist around you.
— R.H. Swaney
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