Home >> Landscaping Information >> Mulch Questions and Answers

Mulch Questions and Answers

Is it OK to use bark chips for mulch?

Bark chips can be a pain. They have a tendency to float away or get strewn around the yard by lawnmowers, pets, wildlife, children...

My mulch is steaming. How come?

If you stir a mulch pile on a cold day, it will steam. This is because when organic matter decomposes, it produces heat. This means that the inside of a mulch pile is always warm, even if there's frost on top. That's why mulch protects your plants from the cold.

Should I put plastic under my mulch to stop weeds?

No. This keeps your plants' roots from breathing. Avoid landscape fabrics as well.

Do I still need to use soil if I mulch?

Yes. Mulch is good for your flowers and other plants, but they cannot survive on mulch alone. Roots need soil. Mulch is a covering for the soil, not a replacement for it.

Can I mulch around trees?

Yes. Make a level circle of mulch around the trunk of a tree. It should not extend any farther than the branches at the top of the tree (for large trees, the mulch ring can be smaller than this). Do not mound mulch around the trunk as this will soften the bark and put the tree at risk from disease and insects. The ring of mulch should be 2-4 inches thick. Do not plant flowers within this tree ring.