Applying mulch is one of the best things you can do for your garden and perennial beds, this time of year. The right mulch will help conserve moisture, reduce plant damage and protect and improve the soil, through the course of the winter. Garden and landscape mulches are available in two types, organic and inorganic. Organic mulches include shredded wood, bark nuggets, straw, leaves, even grass clippings in season. Inorganic mulches include rock, gravel and artificial products such as shredded rubber.
Technically, both types of mulch will work. Inorganic materials such as stone and river rock don’t break down, so they typically don’t need to be reapplied every year. Inorganic mulches are generally applied with a fabric barrier to discourage weeds from growing, as well as keep the mulch in place. While this helps to reduce maintenance, it also hinders adding nutrients and making soil amendments. Long term, your plants don’t do as well. If you want the most effective mulch in terms of winter plant protection, moisture conservation and soil stabilization and enrichment, choose organic mulch.
For perennial beds, shredded bark and bark nuggets work well and provide a natural look. The goal is to apply a three to four-inch layer of mulch to your perennial beds. A two cubic foot bag of bark will cover eight square feet three inches deep. A two cubic foot bag of shredded cedar or Gorilla Hair mulch will cover six square feet three inches deep. You may have read that using bark mulches will lock up the nitrogen in the soil. While true, the advantages of using biodegradable material as mulch far outweighs the loss of a small amount of nitrogen. For your vegetable garden, use organic compost as mulch. If you have access to straw or leaves, spread them out evenly over the bed, then cover with three inches of organic compost. Through the course of the winter this mulch layer will protect the soil structure and micro biome. Come spring, work what’s left into the soil and you’re ready to plant.
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