An Ode to Mulch: It's Always the Answer
Master Gardener Jennifer Deeks weights various methods for weed suppression and water retention, and makes the case for organic mulch.
When I speak with garden clients about what they want in their gardens, the answer is always “low maintenance.” When it comes to achieving this goal, primarily through weed suppression and water retention, not all substrates are created equal.
There are various materials that can be used to create a space around plants. In order of most work to least work, I present my thoughts on a variety of common landscape materials.
River rocks: I suspect that anyone who recommends or installs river rocks as “low maintenance” has never had to maintain them. I believe that as penance, they should be forced to do so.
The type of weeds that like to grow in rock are often those with deep, strong taproots that are incredibly difficult to access around rocks. Even with regular weeding, to look their best, these layouts require that you remove the rocks every few years, clean everything up, and put them back in.
Landscape Fabric: Do you want to smother your plants? This is how you smother your plants, along with beneficial microorganisms, and at the same time, adding microplastics to the soil.
Weed seeds will still drift in on the wind and grow down through the fabric, anchoring it in place. This is another short-term cheat that may make an area look nice for a season or two, and then requires massive amounts of effort to remove it later.
See also:
Bare Earth: At least the weeds are out in the open for removal, but not having any buffer, it allows for increased soil erosion and water evaporation.
Organic Mulch: I wholeheartedly support mulch, and there are very few situations where I would not use it. Otherwise, it retains moisture, reducing watering requirements and helping plants survive dry spells. It also protects roots from temperature fluctuations and provides them with some protection during heatwaves.
Weeds that germinate in or on the mulch are easier to pull because their roots are loosely held. And if you apply it heavily directly over weeds, they have to use valuable energy to force their way through it, helping to slow their progress.
Mulch enriches the soil as it breaks down and decomposes. One of my indicators of the quality of soil in a garden is how often I need to apply mulch. A garden with healthy soil will need mulch additions every 2 to 3 years. Poor soil may require two or more applications per year.
I like that mulch gives any garden a “finished” look. Most coloured mulch is made using natural dyes such as iron oxide or carbon. While they can be messy during application, these colourants are safe for plants, pets, and people. I prefer a natural appearance of undyed cedar or a dark brown colouration, but the rust-orange or black mulches definitely have high visual impact.
With so many benefits and so few drawbacks, I should probably own stocks in mulch companies, but I truly find it to be one of the most useful garden materials for achieving the coveted low-maintenance landscape.
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From experience, digging weeds out of a bed of rocks, I wholly concur with Jennifer's post. What I would like to know more about is the mulch. I use straw for veg garden, wood chips on perennial beds. Sometimes mixing in dry leaf matter. What is recommended?