Benefits Of Mulch Reduction

At first glance, this blog title may be confusing. This could be because we have spent so much time emphasizing the importance of mulch and the many benefits it offers to your landscape, but today we will be focusing on the benefits of mulch reduction. It is true that mulch prevents the spread of weeds and insulates your soil from extreme temperatures but it also keeps soil from eroding and adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes.

However, everything is in moderation, right? Often, we install a new layer of mulch to refresh our plant beds every year, focusing on the immediate visual impact a fresh layer of mulch provides. We generally do not recognize the negative impact of mulch buildup caused by these fresh layers year after year. We would like to focus on the many benefits of mulch reduction and how this can provide healthier plant beds for your overall landscaping.

Reduce Mulch for Healthier Plants

One mistake that some homeowners make when they mulch, is that instead of replacing mulch, they just add on top. This can create problems similar to that of soil compaction. Just like soil, when mulch is too tightly compact due to a large quantity, it can make it difficult for nutrients to reach the roots. This is especially true for applications of fertilizer administered by a landscaper. If mulch is not reduced, fertilizer will sit on top of the mulch and do nothing for the plants. This same airflow idea applies to moisture and sunlight as well. You want mulch to insulate the soil, not lock it down.

Prevent Pest Infestation with Mulch Reduction

Another problem with excess mulch is that pests love to make their home in piles just like these. Especially when the plant beds where the mulch has been installed are right next to the building. Commercial or residential, the last thing you need is a pest problem that extends from the outdoors to the inside. Not only is turf at risk to critters like chinch bugs and white grubs, but the basement could also become home to huge ant populations. We have heard directly from our pest control teams that technicians love when mulch levels have been reduced for easier application of pest control products.

Mulch Runoff is a Real Risk

While mulch does prevent soil erosion from occurring when there is heavy rainfall, mulch cannot prevent mulch from washing off. In fact, if there is too much mulch it is pretty obvious that the likelihood of mulch runoff is only higher. The last place you want to find mulch is in all the places it will run off to, in the yard or on the driveway. This will instigate the need for a time cleaning up that is simply unnecessary if you reduce mulch now. Your landscape will also lack uniformity, and curb appeal is much better when mulch is kept in place.

Mulch reduction benefits are just within your reach. Don’t wait! Contact Taylor Anthony 365 today at 904-230-3386 and discover why our clients prefer holding one company accountable for all their landscape needs.