You’ve probably heard the many virtues of mulching; it saves time, money, water, and your back respectively. Plus, mulch is valuable for any type of gardening situation. Every kind of mulch will offer each of these benefits on some level. You can use it in your landscaping, vegetable beds, herb garden, flower garden, perennial bed, and under trees. When you get into the habit of mulching all of the planted areas in your yard, it’s entirely possible that you’ll never have to spend a dime on herbicides again.
So, when is the best time to mulch? Personally, I mulch whenever I feel like it because I hate weeds (read: work). But if you were to ask about the optimal time to mulch? Most gardeners (including me) would say during the fall and winter (and then early spring). One reason being that fall and winter is when your plants are most likely to freeze to death from bitter cold and snow; so they’ll be grateful for a cozy, mulch blanket. It’s also when soil erosion is at its peak due to the rain.
Spring is when we see the weeds shoot up out of places we didn’t even know were there. Mulching before they get even a glimpse of warm sunshine is a good idea. One concern for gardeners is that plant pests such as snails and earwigs can hide in mulch an launch a sneak-attack on the fresh growth on plants. I guess I have to admit this can be true, but that doesn’t deter me. Mulch has done awesome things for my yard.
This is a good place to mention that mulching is yet another perfect way to use the materials you have around your yard and home that would otherwise end up in the landfills. For me, this is a first-class practice as far as recycling goes. My advice is to mulch every spot of bare soil in your yard. Over time, the transformation will astound you.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil, 32 oz Ready-to-Use Spray, Multi-Purpose Fungicide, Insecticide and Miticide for Organic Gardening
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MULTI-PURPOSE BUG KILLER—Bonide Neem Oil is a perfect pest control solution for any garden dealing with mites, flies, mildew, and more. This product is a three-in-one fungicide, miticide, and insecticide. READY TO USE—This product is conveniently ready to use when it arrives. The spray nozzle makes this product easy to deploy and can even be used up to the day of harvest. KILLS ALL STAGES OF INSECTS—Bonide's 3-in-1 Neem Oil is great because it kills the egg, larvae, and adult stages of insects while also preventing the fungal attack of plant tissues. DORMANT SPRAY—In addition to being useful for ridding your garden of insects and other pests, this Neem oil makes a great dormant spray to help protect your plants throughout all seasons. ORGANIC GARDENING—Derived from the Neem seed, our product is great for use on roses, flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs, indoor houseplants, trees and shrubs. It's approved for organic gardening.
Flat Soaker Hose 75 150 FT for Garden Beds
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Consistent & Even Watering Drip Irrigation Hose: Makes use of a clog-resistant fabric cover recycled vinyl for consistent slow soaking seep throughout its entire length. Deliver water to the entire area that it covers. Only certain areas of your garden bed getting watered. For waste-free watering in garden beds and other tight spaces. Waters the base of the plants so less water-related leaf damage. Linkable Garden Soaker Hose For DIY Irrigation System: End to end connectable drip water hose, flexible versatile Above-ground or bury it below a up to 3-inch layer of mulch or soil; this fit with garden hose threads and come with rust resistant end caps that make it possible to connect multiple hoses and works well with timers.
Maneuverability And 100% Environmentally Friendly Drip Hose: Double layer design PVC Covered With Extra-Strength Fabric material protect from sun damage than rubber weeping hose; ensure the longevity of the soaker hose, which is ideal for you using it regularly through all seasons in your garden. Made of 100% environmentally friendly recycled vinyl, pass CA65 test, water is safe for ground which makes it perfect for use with vegetables, herbs, and other edible plants. Easy To Store Flat Soaker Hose: This irrigation drip hose flat design is kink-resistant, lies flat makes it a breeze to roll up and store for next season.The flat shape also makes it simple to snake under existing plant growth. One-Year Warranty on Flat Soaker Hoses: Ensure a water pressure of 40-90 psi for best results—hot water is not suitable.
Spearhead Shade Gardening Shovel with Steel-Reinforced Fiberglass Handle
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Reduce Digging Effort - The Spear Head Spade is the first hybrid shovel/spade, guaranteed to make your toughest digging up to 80% easier than regular shovels and spades, even in the toughest soil conditions. Ideal for landscaping and gardening.
Multi-Purpose Shovel - Spear Head Spade is a versatile tool that can be used for digging, planting, weeding, cutting, and edging. It is designed to handle tough soil and clay conditions, and can cut through roots and tough vegetation with ease.
Innovative Design - Has a unique blade design that makes it more efficient and easier to use than traditional spades. The blade is shaped like a spearhead, with a pointed tip and a curved edge that allows it to penetrate the soil more easily.
Ergonomic D-Handle - The large, cushioned D-grip offers comfort and better leverage for gloved and ungloved hands alike, reducing strain on the hands and wrists. Lightweight & Strong - Durable handle is made of special steel-reinforced, pultruded fiberglass to withstand heavy use. 60% stronger than EN-3388 shovel/spade standards, 33% thicker and 25% harder than normal shovels. Sharpened from tip to tail at a 35 degree angle for an effective and durable edge.
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