Mulching Guide

MULCH

Decorative mulches serve many purposes, including inhibiting weed growth, helping trees and plants retain moisture, insulating roots from extreme weather conditions, suppress erosion, and providing a uniform, clean appearance.

Golden Wolf recommends top dressing all existing plant beds with about 1 inch of hardwood mulch on a yearly basis to maintain a consistent mulch depth. This should sufficiently prevent weeds from spreading when used in combination with a pre-emergent weed control. The mulch should taper in depth from 2 to 3 inches to just enough to cover the root zone below the tree or plant. Avoid allowing mulch to come into contact with trunks, stems, and branches.

As bark mulch decomposes, it adds a rich compost to your tree and landscape beds. It also serves to conserve moisture. Please note: Even this type of mulch can build up if not exposed to rainfall. If this occurs, use a flat rake to remove any areas of build-up.

Avoid mulches that consist of artificially colored ground up wood and scrap pallets. These types of mulches do not decompose as quickly and build up thick layers in plant beds, suffocating root systems and depriving them of adequate moisture.

WEED CONTROL IN LANDSCAPE BEDS

Determine the best product for your situation. Pre-emergents are best applied in the early spring to prevent annual weeds from germinating. A granular pre-emergent broadleaf weed control should be applied between early April and the first of May, or after a new planting installation when the soil and mulch are freshly disturbed.

Small weeds should be sprayed using a liquid post emergent weed control and following manufacturer’s instructions.

For weeds above 4 inches tall, pull them by using a hand tool to dig up the root. Take care to dig up as much of the root as possible. Leaving roots behind may allow the weed to regenerate itself.