Article Written By: Jordan E Raley

Welcome to Chattanooga, Autumn! The leaves are changing, the weather crisper, and the plants are moving to sleep mode before winter hits. As our plants work on getting cozy in their beds, the time is ripe to get ahead of winter and mulch your gardens.

What is mulch? Mulch is standardly broken down into two categories: organic matter and inorganic matter, both of which provide cost effective options. Organic mulch is often made from plant matter such as decaying leaves, tree needles, bark, straw, or compost. Organic mulch helps offer enrichment to the soil as it decays and acts as insulation as the weather turns. Inorganic mulch is made from matter like crushed rock or stones, rubber mulch, or landscaping fabric. Inorganic mulching is a great protector against weed, and aids in absorbing the bleak winter sunshine so plants can get a jumpstart on Spring blooming through their toasty soil.

Look at your landscaping and ask what are the needs? You may have a great blend of perennials and annuals. You may have vegetables or fruits. You may have shrubbery and trees to consider. When looking at everything, you may see the need for a variety of mulch types to get the best coverage.

Here at Full Circle, we want to deliver key insights on how best to mulch now so you can see long-term gains when Spring arrives. See our ideas below:

1.     Let your mulch be surface. It does not need to be blended into your soil. Remember, it is there to protect or enhance via the topsoil and you may do more damage to your roots and plants by mixing. Just be sure not to allow the mulch to get too thick over time. Around 2 to 3 inches thick is ideal.

2.     Do your last bit of pruning and weeding before mulching. As many of your plants are making their way to a dormant phase, pull the last of the weeds and prune back what may need pruning before laying down your mulch.

3.     Mulch aids in preventing the soil erosion that often occurs during Fall and Winter months. Adding around 2 to 3 inches of mulch to your flower beds and shrubbery aids in keeping the right amount available to shield your roots as the weather dips down. Too much mulch can result in too much moisture and can create fungus and rot.

4.     Don’t forget your trees! Trees, including your Evergreens, can be overlooked when it comes to mulching. Trees do not need mulch right up to their trunk base. The base can have a bit of breathing room for the root collar, and this too helps prevent the rot and fungus that can creep up on other plants and shrubs if over mulched.

5.     Mulching provides a great blanket to your plants so they can nestle down as the weather turns frigid. Doing so now will save you time, energy, and money when Spring arrives as you’ll have less weeds to pull, less mulch to replace or replenish, and will ideally see strong plants ready to soak up the sweet sun Spring and Summer provide.

When Spring arrives, you’ll be so proud of your Fall self for taking the time to care for your landscaping. And if you have new ideas or questions, Full Circle is just a phone call away.