How to Prepare Your Mulch Beds

There are several reasons to use mulch in your garden. Organic mulch can help keep your garden healthy by retaining soil moisture, keeping weeds from growing, and managing soil erosion and compaction. However, you cannot just throw some mulch down and expect miracles to happen overnight. To get the best results, prepare your mulch beds properly.

Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing mulch beds before laying mulch.

Kill and Remove Weeds

If weeds are not removed before laying mulch, it can promote weed growth. Remove entire weeds, including the root, and other underground parts such as bulbs or tubers by hand, or they may grow back. Pulling weeds can be a time-consuming task and may involve a lot of effort. A herbicide/chemical weed killer can save effort. If you plan to use a herbicide, apply it at least a couple of weeks before mulching so the weeds in your garden die completely.

Trim Nearby Trees and Bushes

Fallen leaves, branches, and seeds from the trees in your landscape can make your garden look cluttered. Before you prepare mulch beds, cut back any trees or bushes that can drop their leaves. This is a great way to simplify mulch maintenance.

Rake Your Mulch Bed

To prepare the soil in your mulch bed, remove any remaining dead leaves, weeds, and trimmings using a rake. It is important to not skip this step, or you may not get your desired results.

If you haven’t chosen the best mulch for your landscape, now is the right time to sit down with your landscape contractor to evaluate your options. One of the most popular choices among homeowners and landscapers is bark mulch. It adds organic matter to the soil, provides insulation, and can help the soil retain water. If you are looking for bark mulch delivery near you then look no further than Bayshore Materials. We have you covered for a convenient, quick, and smooth bark mulch delivery.

Cultivate the Soil

Your soil is ready to be cultivated once your mulch beds are clean and tidy. Using a hand cultivator or roto-tiller, loosen any compacted soil or mulch. This is a great way to ensure moisture and oxygen can pass through the mulch, helping improve the health of your mulch beds.

Edge and Smooth Out Your Mulch Bed

To improve the aesthetic appeal of your landscape, create a clear, defined boundary for your mulch bed using a shovel or power edger. Next, using a rake, smooth out the soil in your mulch bed to prevent your mulch from looking lumpy once laid.

Treat Your Mulch Bed

Treat your mulch bed with a pre-emergent. A pre-emergent herbicide can prevent any weed seeds from germinating, helping control weeds that can grow beneath the mulch surface and deprive your soil of precious nutrients that support plant growth.

No matter how complex your home improvement project is, Bayshore Materials has the right products for you. We offer a variety of landscaping products from bricks and rocks to sands and soils. To place your order today, call 707-644-0859.