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Improving Your Home Landscaping

Few things are more frustrating than a messy front yard. In addition to disrupting your curb appeal, overgrown, messy landscaping can also harbor pests and make it look like you don't care about your property. Fortunately, tidying up your yard doesn't have to be difficult. I have spent years learning more about landscaping, and this blog is all about how to become a landscaping enthusiast. Check out these articles about fun topics like planting flowers, perfecting pruned trees, and decorating your yard with whimsical additions. After you know more about landscaping, your yard might become the talk of the town.

Improving Your Home Landscaping

Tips on Adding Mulch to Your Yard for the First Time

by Bill Kuhn

Adding mulch to your yard is a great way to add a finishing touch to your landscaping. But there are multiple types of mulch out there and if you've never done any mulching before, you might not know where to begin. Here are some tips to keep in mind to work mulch into your yard in a way that will look great and offer some nice benefits.

Pick the Right Kind of Mulch for Your Use Case

Are you looking to add mulch to the front of your yard and you'll never touch it again after it's in place? You might want to go for a heavier kind of mulch like bark in this scenario. On the other hand, if you are trying to add some mulch to an area where you will need to get back down to the soil level at some point like in a garden, you might want to go for a lighter type of mulch like straw because it will be easier to sift through or remove if needed.

Add Mulch While the Ground is Not Frozen and Then Consider Adding More Protection After Winter Arrives

If you want mulch to help you lock in soil moisture or slowly add additional properties to your soil over time, you should put a layer of mulch down while the ground is completely thawed. So in other words, it's fine to put mulch down this fall but don't wait too long to get started. Once the end of fall or the start of winter arrives, the ground will freeze. At this point, you could consider adding a second layer on top of the first to provide any plants some additional insulation from the cold.

Don't Overdo It and Be Sure to Spread It Out

A common mistake some homeowners make when using mulch for the first time is that they put down way too much of it. Spread the mulch out so that it is an even coating for each layer—no more than two inches deep. Putting too much mulch in one spot could kill the roots underneath and leave you with dead soil.

Mulch comes in a wide variety of different materials and colors so be sure to inquire with a local mulch provider about what might work best for your particular garden or landscape. You could even consider taking a photo or two of your existing landscape and ask a local mulching expert to find the perfect match for your needs. Contact companies like Good Handz Landscaping to learn more.  

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