Demystifying Mulch

What is its purpose of mulch you may ask? Isn’t the existing soil enough for the plant? No! Mulch is essential to the healthy growth of a plant for a number of reasons. Mulch is a general term used for a material that covers the bare soil around a plant.
We use mulch because it:
1. Helps conserve the soil moisture and temperature which improves the health of the soil
2. Reduces weed growth by keeping unwanted seedlings from reaching sunlight and growing further
3. Adds organic matter to the soil when the mulch breaks down over time, improving soil fertility
4. Reduces erosion on hills or sloped areas
5. It also just looks nice
Here are some of the most common mulch types we use:

	Fir Bark – The most commonly found in gardens, is dark brown in color but turns to a weathered grey over time a.      Mini Mulch Fir Bark – is 1/4-3/8 inch in size. b.      Small/Medium Fir Bark – is 3/4″-1 1/2″ in size. We use this size the most because it does not decompose as quickly as the mini size
	Arbor Mulch – an inexpensive mulch consisting of chipped wood and bark from urban forest trees
	Shredded Redwood (Gorilla Hair) – is a stringy, fibrous bark that ranges in size from 1 to 2 inches. It’s great for slopes
	Fibar/Playground Fiber – is 1/2-1 inch elongated blunt or soft chopped ends of wood
	Dark Brown/ or Red Chips – 2” or less processed wood product which is colored with a UV protected colorant with long lasting color
	Rubber Mulch -Made from recycled rubber products (most commonly tires) it is not as nice looking as the other mulches but it is a sustainable product

We do NOT recommend any mulch that contains Cocoa or Coir (Coconut Husks), because these products are harmful to dogs. To learn more, see Creating a Garden Safe for Pets.
Please remember that buying mulch is not a one-time experience. Your mulch will decay over time and require additional layers added each year (rubber mulch is the exception to the rule). I recommend 2-3 inches for optimum results.
Whichever mulch you chose for your garden, it is an essential element for a healthy garden.