Mulch Madness: Why March Is the Best Time to Mulch Your Yard

Mulching your flower beds and garden is a popular lawn care task this time of year. The problem is, most people apply mulch too late in the season, lessening its benefit. To understand the logic behind this theory, the experts at Custom Lawn are breaking down why we mulch in the first place.

Why Mulch Matters for Your Yard

Mulch is not just something to do for the sole purpose of enhancing the look of your yard, although it certainly does that. Mulching is the single most important thing you can do for your garden every year for several reasons …

Suppresses weeds.
Holds in moisture that would quickly evaporate without it.
Regulates soil temperature.
Improves the soil’s structure, which leads to better drainage and use of nutrients.

Why Is March Prime Time for Mulch?

Just as weeding and removing leaves is easier to do before new bulbs and perennials pop up, the same goes for mulching. The soil is still weed-free, herbaceous plants are just beginning to grow, and the soil is starting to warm up a little, which means it’s the perfect window to lay your mulch while avoiding other plants’ lifecycles.

How Much Mulch Do I Need?

When it comes to mulch, more is definitely not better! Applying an overly thick layer of mulch can do more harm than good since it’s likely to encourage fungal disease and possibly even kill your plants. To be sure your yard gets just the right amount of mulch, it’s best to leave this task to the pros.

Generally, the proper amount of mulch ranges from 2-3 inches. Adding mulch yearly, will also help protect the bases of your plants from nematode insects, which can literally wipe out an entire landscape if given free access to your plants.

What’s the Best Kind of Mulch to Use in Kansas City?

In the Kansas City area, the best mulch, by far, is the hardwood variety. Why? Because it’s less attractive to insects, it spreads easily, and stays put in the rain, unlike other popular types of mulch such as pine bark.

Get More from Your Mulch with Custom Lawn & Landscape

There’s more to mulch than just placing the right kind and amount in your yard, which is why many turn to the experts at Custom Lawn & Landscape to get the job done right. In addition to making sure your yard gets the right kind and amount of mulch, we make the most of your mulch by doing the following:

We apply a pre-emergent to your mulch in order to keep weeds at bay and to create a barrier which makes them less likely to grow in the future.
We make sure your mulch is applied correctly to avoid giving insects and pests easy access to your home.