The Best Mulch For Your Garden

Mulch is a great garden accessory. It can change the look of any garden with the different choices in colors and textures. There’s nothing like laying out fresh mulch in the garden to kick start your summer gardening. Take a look at the different variety of mulch to use, and pick the right one for you!

The most frequently asked question Extension receives about mulch is ‘Which is the best mulch to use?’ There is no definitive answer to this question, because as with plant material, it depends on the individual goal for the individual garden or landscape, and the homeowner’s preference.

The number one criteria for most homeowners is mulch that will keep the garden free of weeds, but since we’ve already established this as a moot point, let’s move on and look at the most popular types of mulch, how long it takes for them to settle, color retention, and their potential as food sources for insects, as indicated by University of Florida (UF) research.

Pine bark: Pine bark mulch is a forest industry by-product. The bark cannot be used in the manufacture of lumber or paper, so it is chopped into little pieces for use as mulch after it is stripped from the trees. It seems to be a favorite in northern landscapes, but several homeowners have reported it floating down the street during heavy rains. Location and specific application may be the key here.

Read more at Naples News.

This post was originally written by Brook Reilly.