Buying Mulch For Your Yard: Things To Look For

Not all mulch is the same, and the type of soil and climate you have can greatly affect how well your mulch works. The materials found in the ground cover are designed to help recondition your soil so you can grow a healthy flower or vegetable garden, and the right combination of nutrients can make all the difference. When buying mulch, here are some things you should look for.

Balance

If you have acidic soil, you need to find mulch that is more alkaline in its design. The opposite is true if you have a base soil. The type of soil you have can help determine the materials you buy. If you have rocky or sandy soil, you likely need a wet mulch that has a fine balance of both acidic and alkaline nutrients. If you have clay-based soil then you want a drier hardwood mulch that can help balance out moisture content.

Results

If you are growing a vegetable garden, then using mulch that has a lot of oxidization in it can help a garden grow healthily. If you are planting a flower garden, a lot of animal-based mulch, such as cow or chicken manure, can get you the results you are looking for. In addition to buying mulch for your landscape desires, you can add other items to your soil, such as grass, to mix in for added moisture and nutrition.

Cover

Are you planning on mixing mulch into your existing soil, or do you just want to use it as ground cover and plant on top of it? If the former is what you want, you need to choose a light cover mix that can blend easily. If you plan on simply planting directly into your mulch, you want to choose a mixture of nutrition and soil so you have a heavier base. Hardwood mulch is dense in its composition, making it ideal for planting for a garden or to help existing gardens thrive.

When buying mulch for your yard, talk to a garden specialist who can help you determine which type and what amount you need to buy. Taking a picture of your existing yard can help them aid you in your choices. Once you buy your mulch make sure you water it in well prior to planting with it so the nutrients can spread more evenly, or mix it in directly with your soil. This can help you get the planting results you ultimately desire. 

For more information on mulch, consider contacting companies like Arbor Care Piekarski and Sons Inc.