Organic mulch offers a number of benefits to home gardeners, including increased moisture retention, easy maintenance, effective weed control, and erosion mitigation. These practical benefits of organic mulch aren’t the only reasons it’s so popular among landscapers and home gardeners, though. Organic mulch also confers aesthetic benefits. Read on to find out how to take advantage of them in any garden or landscape.

How to Choose the Right Mulch

The first thing to consider when adding mulch to a garden or landscape is what kind of trees were used to produce it. Premium hardwood mulch is usually sourced from oak trees. Regular hardwood mulch can be made from the bark or wood of any type of hardwood tree.

Organic mulch is formulated only from natural wood. It doesn’t contain dyes or colorants like most decorative mulches, which makes it perfect for everything from flower beds to food gardens. Choosing a supplier that uses only organic products not treated with chemical additives is a great way to ensure that gardeners won’t be introducing toxins into their soil. Anyone who wants to mulch vegetable beds should seriously consider sticking with organic materials.

Colored Mulches

Not all colored mulches are dyed with chemicals. Organic suppliers use natural ingredients to color their mulch, which means buyers can use it wherever they want without worrying about how it will affect their soil, plants, and health. Here are a few innovative ideas for using natural colored mulch to beautify a landscape:

• Choose a brown or red mulch to complement brick houses.
• Use a black or dark brown mulch to create contrast in flower beds.
• Try a mixture of colors to add visual interest.
• Cover all bare soil to control erosion.
• Protect the bases of trees with blonde mulch to create color contrast with trunks.
• Apply organic mulches directly to soil.

Hardwood vs. Softwood Mulches

Softwood mulches may be just as beautiful as hardwood mulches, but they can alter the pH of the soil. Pine trees, for example, can make the soil more acidic. This impacts the plants grown in flower beds, vegetable gardens, and lawns, so it’s best to stick to hardwood mulches in any areas where plants are grown.

It’s also relevant to note that hardwood mulches usually break down faster than softwood mulches. That’s because most of the fungi that help break down wood thrive in hardwoods. This may sound like a disadvantage, but gardeners know that fungal networks improve soil health and broken down mulch adds organic matter to the soil, especially if it’s full of beneficial fungi. Want to improve the mulch’s appearance without destroying its beneficial fungi? Just rinse the top layer of mulch off using a garden hose.

The Bottom Line

Organic hardwood mulches are much better for the environment than chemically treated or dyed alternatives. They’re also better for garden beds than softwood mulches, since they don’t dramatically alter soil pH. Incorporating mulch into the landscape will be great for both the local ecosystem and the home’s residents since it will beautify the property while simultaneously increasing soil fertility.

Place an online order today, and ask about our spreading and yard cleanup services!

The holiday season is here, so many people that own fireplaces are thinking about getting some firewood, which we can happily help with, right to your door. However, while the winter has arrived and homeowners say goodbye to their lawns and gardens for a season as the snow comes, there’s always spring to look forward to planning for. One of the best things you can do for your home’s outlying property, especially if you have a garden and trees, is to consider using mulch. Here are some of the reasons why it helps.

Retain Moisture

Since mulch is essentially a layer of loose material—in this case, wood—that is spread over topsoil, the one thing it is extremely good at doing is keeping the ground moist. Wood is a natural sponge in that it absorbs and holds water for much longer periods than other substances like soil. This means that when it rains, or when a property is watered, mulch can preserve more of the moisture, and this benefits the soil and the plants.

Control Weeds

Mulch can also help to minimize the number of weeds that grow on a property. Weeds need sunlight, but mulch, a layer that sits over the soil, can add an extra shield that prevents some weeds from getting the sunlight they need in the early stages of growth. While other types of weed will still manage to poke out of the topsoil, there will be other varieties that, once blocked by a sufficiently thick layer of mulch, won’t grow at all, helping you to control your weed population during the spring and summer seasons.

Topsoil Preservation

Mulch is also good at protecting the topsoil itself. A layer of mulch doesn’t just retain moisture; it also acts as a physical barrier. Where the blowing of wind would eventually erode the first layer of topsoil or rain might wash some of it way, given enough time, mulch acts as a protective first line of defense that helps to offset these natural forces of erosion, and help the healthy topsoil to retain more of itself and be more productive during the growing season.

Easier To Maintain

When you’re looking for something to add color and fill out the spaces in your yard, mulch is an excellent alternative. Some solutions, like traditional lawn grass, require maintenance during the year, notably, using a lot of water to keep it green and healthy, and mowing it regularly to keep the height in check.

Mulch, on the other hand, comes in a variety of colors, that can help to distinguish the look of your property from others, while at the same time requiring none of that extra maintenance. Once the initial layer of mulch is laid out, you’re done, and only have to periodically replenish it with more if you think it’s starting to look a little thin.

So while you can contact Best Firewood & Mulch this holiday season for the wood to keep your fireplace cheery during this festive time, remember that when it comes time to grow and beautify things on your property, come to us for your mulch needs too.

We have all heard the saying “first impressions last.” As we grow older, we realize that this may be true. First impressions tell other people a lot about something. Homes are the same. Most people, if not all, tend to find ways to improve their homes through various beautification projects. This practice is not solely focused on the interior but also the exterior of one’s home.

The first thing people see when going to another person’s home is the front yard. It says a lot about the residents. A beautiful lot can make a lasting impression on others. But, it is not just for them. It can also be a relaxing space for the homeowner.

One concern that many individuals have when planning their projects is the cost. Not all people have a lot of money to spare. Sometimes, daily expenses can already be too much. Contrary to what many people think, upgrading your landscape design does not have to be expensive.

Applying The Mulch Magic

One way of giving your property a modern and well-groomed look is using mulch. This simple addition to your yard can add aesthetic value. You can choose the kind of mulch that would complement your home’s exterior colors. Mulch can also make the place look less bare. Another advantage of using mulch is it is easy to apply. The activity is not time-consuming and does not require you to buy specialized tools.

Starting The Project This Fall

If you are unsure about mulching during the fall, you do not have to worry. You can mulch if you want to. All you need is to know how to do it properly to make sure you get the desired effect.

1. Wear protective gloves to avoid splinters.
2. Use 2-4 inch coverage.
3. Remove weeds, leaves, and grass.
4. Avoid putting mulch near the base of a tree. Use the technique known as the doughnut hole.
5. Choose your mulch wisely. Use only high-quality mulch to ensure good results.

Reasons To Mulch

There are a lot of reasons why you should consider doing this. Aside from adding appeal to your lawn, mulching is highly beneficial.

• Mulch retains the moisture of soil and prevents it from drying out.
• It suppresses the growth of weeds.
• It serves as insulation from cold or hot weather.
• Mulching prevents soil erosion.
• It improves the nutrient content of your soil.

Mulching is not a new gardening technique. Records show that early civilizations used this technique to hinder the growth of weeds. Through the years, people have discovered new mulch sources.

If you wish to try upgrading your landscape design without spending too much money, you can use mulch. We can help with your mulching needs. We have a variety of choices for your landscape needs. We also offer installation services, so you can relax while we take care of your place. Contact Best Firewood and Mulch and find out how we can help you.

There are lots of different ways to improve one’s homestead. A property owner could have an in-ground pool installed, the structure’s siding painted, or improve the landscaping. For these purposes, we are going to discuss the latter. Why? Well, for one, these are do-it-yourself projects that many homeowners can handle without having to hire outside labor. Persons can plant trees, flowers, shrubs, or pretty much anything that they want.

The improvements will do several different things. For instance, they will provide the property owner with beautiful scenery to view day in and day out. Additionally, the new look is sure to make a person’s neighbors envious. Hence, you can have the most visually appealing yard on the block, which may, in turn, cause others to invest in landscaping as well. Then, property values are likely to increase. That is a big draw for anyone who may be considering selling in the future.

Stats That Reveal How Much Landscaping Can Add To A Home’s Value

According to some researchers, it depends on the type of landscaping a person installs, but homes with designs fetch 5.5 to 12.7-percent more than those without schemas. So, let’s say that an individual’s property is worth $300,000. After putting in flowerbeds, trees, and whatnot, the seller can realistically get $16,500 to $38,100 more for their place. Yet, other studies indicate that properties with these aesthetics increase the home’s value by as much as 20-percent. In other words, the return on investment could prove to be well worth the effort.

High-Quality Hardwood Or Blended Mulch Can Make All Of The Difference In The World

Once you get the plants, flowers, or trees where you want them, consider creating a perimeter with bricks, stepping stones, or a small picket fence. Then, cover the topsoil inside the barrier with top-notch hardwood or blended mulch to add the finishing touches. It will make your yard stand out and catch the eye of anyone passing by. Not to mention, you will enjoy the appearance every time you leave and return home again. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your spring DIY project now.

Benefits Associated With Mulch

Aside from just looking pretty, there are other benefits that mulch has to offer. For example, placing it around newly planted trees can almost double their growth rate. Some studies indicate that hardwoods such as cherry, oak, and maple’s growth rate can be increased by about 79-percent when high-quality mulch is present. It serves as a buffer, insulates the soil, and protects the trees and their roots from hot and cold temperatures.

Plus, during the summertime, when heatwaves are bearing down, mulch helps the ground retain moisture. Therefore, homeowners’ water bills won’t skyrocket as they will not need to cut the sprinkler on quite as often as with just dirt. Instead, with minimal watering, persons can keep their pieces of landscaping alive and looking as good as the day they were first planted.

Contact “Best Firewood & Mulch to discuss your options today.