When maintaining any garden or landscaping, one of the most important tasks to have healthy plants is to apply mulch. The use of organic mulch, such as cypress mulch or pine bark garden mulch raises the question of whether mulch should be removed to make way for a fresh layer. Although the resounding answer is a “no,” there are a few exceptions.
Should last year’s mulch be removed?
Garden and landscape experts will tell you that it’s unnecessary to remove last year’s organic mulch. Laid down in any garden, mulch is supposed to break down gradually and add beneficial nutrients and matter to the soil. Thus, the longer mulch lasts, the more nutrients go into the soil. It’s unnecessary to change mulch every year, and this only accrues needless expense.
What you can do each spring is to check if the mulch is always at two inches high with ornamental or vegetable gardens, and three inches over shrubs and around trees. The mulch can be left alone so long as the levels remain. If the levels drop down to less than an inch, you can top off with a new layer of mulch to keep the two to three inches.
Fluff the mulch
On rare occasions, some mulch can knit together and start to look like mat-shredded hardwood. Matted mulch can hinder rain and sunlight from making it through the soil and feeding the plant roots. Removal is not the answer; fluff the mulch using a rake or cultivator and add a little more of the same mulch on top.
If the matted mulch has developed a fungus or mould and you don’t like using fungicides, you can remove the top layer of the old mulch and top it off with a new layer. Or try using a new mulch for the top layer.
Laying rocks with mulch
If the mulch you’re using is prone to moulds or fungi, remove all the old mulch from the garden. Lay a small mixture of large and small rocks around the garden. You can arrange them decoratively so they look nice. Plant the rocks halfway into the soil so they don’t move around when the plants are watered or during strong winds. After planting the rocks, lay a two-inch layer of a different kind of mulch in the garden and around the rocks. Don’t cover the rocks. The change of mulch plus the rocks will prevent further fungi and moulds from growing back.
Labrador Landscape Supplies is your reliable mulch supplier
Cypress mulch and other mulch and bark are popular materials for gardens and landscapes. At Labrador Landscape Supplies we provide a large variety of mulches, barks, pebbles and rocks, soils and compost, and other materials. We deliver for bulk purchases. For your enquiries or to view our materials, visit https://landscape-supply.com.au/. You can also call us on 07 5537 2841.