Choosing The Right Landscaping Mulch

One of the most important choices homeowners have to make when starting a landscaping project is what type of mulch to use. Choose the wrong type and you could find yourself having to redo the entire area year in and year out.  It can be labor intensive and expensive.

fake-rock-for-yardsPeople use mulches through out the garden for a number of reasons. They deter weeds from growing, meaning less work for you. Mulch also keeps the ground cooler for the roots and it helps the soil to retain moisture. You can use several different things as mulch, such as hay, straw, grass clippings, and leaves. The nice thing about using these types of mulches is that they decompose into the ground. This helps the soil and adds nutrients for better ground. The worms like to live in mulched soil and when you find earthworms in the ground, it usually means enriched soil. When using mulch, place a two to four-inch layer around the plants or throughout the entire garden.

The right tools are also important when tackling any kind of landscaping project. Shovels – large and small. You should have a least two good shovels for your yard work. A large shovel or spade is good for digging new flower beds, mixing compost or other material into the soil, large digging jobs. A small shovel or trowel is perfect for planting small plants and bulbs or working the soil around plants. When you are choosing a shovel, make sure you get a high quality shovel that is built to last. They may cost a little more but when you figure how much you will use it the cost is worth it. In addition, a high quality shovel will last many years making your initial investment seem to be mere pennies.

If you choose to landscape your yard yourself or even if you choose to maintain your landscape personally you get the added benefit of the exercise involved in the physical work. A word of caution though… Don’t overdo it. Leave a bit of work for tomorrow so that you can get your exercise and unwind from future stresses. If the setting is attractive then fake rocks become another option because they are so easy to move about. Do not remove everything from your garden. This refers to plans, structures etc that are already there. There is no need to begin from scratch. You can start by making little changes in the garden and making the changes at small level so that even if we do not succeed in getting what we tried to, your garden will still be manageable.

The final step to a good garden landscape is to prepare the soil to meet all the needs of your plants. Free gardening tips for taking care of your plants as they grow will also follow. Apart from all this, you can learn how to design gardens and know some of the best secrets to achieving different gardening illusions.

If you put in a little bit of effort early this Spring, your planting and garden beds will be in great shape for the whole growing season. Your plants will be primed for success and their surroundings will be beautiful.