Mulch is a simple, inexpensive way to create a ‘wow’ landscape
Tom DePaepe
N
othing dresses up a landscape quite like mulch. I consider it a simple, finishing touch that can make any landscape ‘pop.’ Mulching around trees and landscape beds helps define spaces in your lawn and gives your house polished curb appeal. In addition to its aesthetic benefits, mulch has many cultural benefits as well. When it comes to mulching trees and shrubs, the benefits are great. Mulch stabilizes soil moisture and soil temperature. Additionally, as
the mulch breaks down, it provides nutrients for the plants it surrounds; this process is much like what happens in a natural forest. In fact, you can think of mulch as ‘artificial forest floor.’ When mulching around trees, avoid what is called a ‘mulch volcano.’ The mulch should start at least an inch from the trunk of the tree and extend out toward the edges of the canopy. A properly mulched tree has a mulch ring that extends further out than most people think. Mulch can also be used to dress up landscape beds. Rather than just mulching around the plants in the bed, take it up a notch by ‘cutting in’ the bed. You can use a bed edger for this task, or simply a flat sided shovel. You will cut a small trench into the soil in a long arc. (Avoid cutting a bed that has a wavy edge; long arcs look much better.) Once you are finished cutting your bed,
Condition Soil & Increase Drainage
Drain Standing Water Allow Roots to Grow Deep!
The Pond Stuff Safe & Organic
extend your mulch up to and in the trench. Take a step back and look at the lawn. You will notice this step really defines the boundaries of your landscape beds and gives them a finished look. In my front yard, I prefer dark brown mulch. This contrasts nicely with the green grass and really sets off the lawn. In the back yard, I had a little fun with my landscape beds. Extending roughly three feet from the back fence line, I cut a landscape bed the entire width of the backyard. Rather than planting low growing shrubs in a line, I planted a variety of trees in groups of three. I also mulched with coarser, less refined mulch from the chipper truck of our pruning department. Not only do I have to mow less, but I appreciate looking out from my patio and seeing my own little urban forest. As the years go by, I will add groundcovers and other shadeloving plants to create an understory and round out the plantings. Wood mulch can come from a variety of sources; wood pallet recycling, lumber mill recycling, land clearing and even tree pruning operations. All these processes involve recycling, so rather than taking up space in landfills these products provide better growing environments for plants. The mulch is dyed to offer homeowners variety; colors range from the traditional browns and reds, to the unique (blue). Early spring is the perfect time to add mulch to your land-
Garden
Fertilize herbs, perennials & roses early in the season with Natural. Sure Bloom 6-7-6 fertilizes trees and shrubs in the root zone for better absorption & to provide over 70 nutrients & trace minerals.
Formula
Transplant Insurance!
Root Starter & Enhancer
Mushroom Stuff is great for perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs & when you plant.
scape, or to top dress existing mulched areas with fresh wood chips. This is a relatively simple and inexpensive landscape improvement that can have a lot of impact on how your lawn looks, while also providing some cultural benefits for your trees and shrubs. One last tip: if you have a large area you want to mulch, get unrefined wood chips from a pruning company for your base layer and top dress with one to two inches of finer, dyed mulch. You’ll save money, and no one will know the difference. Tom DePaepe is an ISA certified arborist, #MW-4838A, and consulting arborist with Ryan Lawn & Tree. He can be reached at 913381-1505.
For Sure Bloom®, Earth Right Super Stuff® and The Mushroom Stuff®:
Nuts & Bolts (Bonner Springs; Independence; Overland Park Antioch & Nall Stores) Farrand Farms Strasser Hardware Moffett Nursery St. Jo Heartland Nursery Planters Seed Co. Suburban Lawn & Garden Kramer Hardware Rosehill Gardens (KC, MO & Overland Park) in Kearney Soil Service Garden Center
These stores carry Earth Right Super Stuff® and The Mushroom Stuff®: Colonial Nursery Earl May Shawnee Family Tree Nurseries (Liberty, Overland Park, Shawnee) Grass Pad (Bonner Springs; KC, MO; Lee's Summit; Olathe; Stillwell)
For Earth Right Super Stuff®: Dobbels Hardware Merriam Feed Smith Brothers
Earth Right (913) 492-2992 © 2012 Ad-Arama KCG0412
12
Contact Tobin Lawn if you would like to have Earth Right Products applied at your location. Tobin Lawn (816) 765-5565
The Pond Stuff™ is Available at:
Heartland Nursery Nuts and Bolts (All Locations) KC Pond (NO KC) Strasser (Kansas City) Kramer Hardware Suburban Lawn & Garden Moffet Nursery (KC, MO & Overland Park)
Cedar Hill Landscaping, Inc. 9295 Cedar Creek Rd. • De Soto, KS 66018
Kristie Schneider 913-583-9885
Personalized Services Offered Landscape Design • Landscape Installation Paver Patios • Retaining Walls • Landscape Lighting Irrigation System Installation • Landscape Maintenance The Kansas City Gardener / April 2012