What is mulch?
Mulch is a shredded material that is spread over your garden and plants around 2-3 inches thick. In the Hudson Valley, you will primarily see it made up of shredded wood but you will also see bark nuggets, pine needles, grass clippings, news paper, straw or shredded leaves. Mulch will decompose over time and need to be replaced to maintain the appeal and deliver it’s health benefits.
Why is it important?
- It adds curb appeal
Keep your garden looking fresh and clean every year by applying a new thin layer of mulch. This will make your plants stand out!
- It Improves your soil and overall plant health by adding nutrients.
Not only will your garden be beautiful from the contrast of the mulch but it will make your plants happy! Happy plants means healthy picturesque gardens!
- Encourages earthworms
Earthworms are vital for keeping soil healthy and the earthworms love a garden with mulch! It keeps their habitat cool and moist so they can work the garden for you!
- It helps prevent against weather changes
When winter comes, frost can threaten the health of our plants, but with a layer of mulch, it helps prevent the frost from going to deep and keeps your plants tucked in for winter.
- Conserves water
Mulch will also trap in moisture so you don’t have water your plants as often. It a drought season, this is very helpful to you and your environment.
- Prevents weeds
When mulch is laid, it doesn’t allow the pesky weeds to reach sunlight so many of them end up being choked out before they can reach the surface.
- Provides a clean surface for produce to grow
When you grow herbs and vegetables, you want them to be sitting on a clean surface. Mulch allows water to pass through and not puddle and allow your produce to not be sitting on any fertilizer you may have used to grow your garden.
What are my mulching options?
- Dyed Mulch (Black, Brown or Red)
Allows you to customize the look of your garden and the hue will last longer throughout the season
- Natural Brown
Double ground natural untreated mulch produced from a blend of clean bark.
- Hemlock
Natural and treated and giving you a hint of red to give your garden a distinct look
- Play Safety Mulch
Should be safest, cleanest and greenest material to put in your playground areas. Tests are done to ensure compliance with impact requirements and to test for any metals. Some is even regulated to be wheel chair accessible!
- Cedar
Notable for it’s reddish brown hue, it can also be a natural insect repellant that decomposes slowly
- Sweet Peet
Sweet Peet is a composted agricultural manure that beautifies all plantings, nurturing root systems for healthier, vigorous plants. A soil conditioner that nourishes vegetable gardens, fruit trees, all plants. It enriches soil, retains and slowly releases water during dry weather conditions.
