Mulch is certainly one of the most useful landscaping products available. It can be used to stop weeds from growing in, nourish the soil, protect your plants from extreme temperatures, and even to keep pests away. With so many benefits associated with mulch, it’s no wonder that it is a classic tool that every great landscaper uses. Purchasing mulch is easy and affordable too, particularly if you decide to get your mulch from Cal Blend Soils. We have plenty of different mulch options for you to choose from and would love to help you achieve all of your landscaping goals with our products.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of landscapers out there that are going about mulching the wrong way. There are plenty of mulching mistakes that people make on a regular basis. These mistakes can derail your landscaping progress and end up causing big problems if you aren’t careful. That’s why we’ve put together the following article to provide you with 5 mulching mistakes to watch out for. After you’re done reading this, you should have a great idea about the right way to use mulch and always be able to avoid these common mistakes.

Mistake # 1 – Poor Mulch Placement

Mulch is a great landscaping product to look into because it can help to reduce the loss of moisture in the soil so your plants are growing to their full potential. It can cool your soil and protect your plants from extreme temperatures if you apply the mulch correctly. However, there are plenty of people out there making the mistake of poor mulch placement when they are working outside on their property. You should try to avoid packing mulch too tight around plant stems or tree trunks. Giving your plants proper room to breath is an important concept to remember whenever you are laying down mulch. People tend to build tiny mountains of mulch around the trunks of their trees, which is not the way to go. This approach can lead to trapped moisture which results in bacteria and fungal diseases. To avoid this, be conscious of how you are laying down your mulch and make sure you aren’t overcrowding tree trunks and root systems.

Mistake # 2 – Too Much Mulch

Another big mistake that inexperienced landscapers tend to make when they are using mulch is using too much. The quantity of mulch that you use has a big impact on how effective it is for your landscaping. If you use too much mulch on your landscaping, particularly around the roots of your plants, it can cause extra stress on your plants as they struggle to get the sunlight and nutrients they need. You can also end up suffocating your plants with too much mulch because they will not be able to receive sufficient oxygen. The ideal amount of mulch to use for your landscaping activities is about 3 inches. Try not to go over a 3-inch layer of mulch so that you avoid all of the problems mentioned above. Keep in mind that using too little much won’t really have the positive impact you are looking for either, so it’s important to try to go with the 3-inch layer.

Mistake # 3 – Getting Mulch from Uncertified Sources

The source of your mulch is very important because you might experience a myriad of problems if you don’t get it from a reputable source. For example, bringing home mulch from a questionable source means you might be bringing mulch that includes harmful things like metal, chemicals, plastics, and other toxic substances. These types of substances can wreak havoc on your landscaping and cause a lot of big problems. You also might be bringing home mulch that has termites or a fungal disease if you get it from an uncertified source. Don’t make the mistake of sacrificing mulch quality just to save a few bucks. Always get your mulch from a reputable landscaping supplier like Cal Blend Soils to make sure you aren’t putting your landscaping at risk.

Mistake # 4 – Choosing the Wrong Type of Mulch

If you’ve ever been shopping for landscaping products before, you probably know just how many options there are to choose from. This certainly holds true for mulch, as there are plenty of different choices to evaluate. One of the biggest mulching mistakes to watch out for is choosing the wrong type of mulch. You should always check out what specific type of mulch is best for your plants before you make your purchase. Remember that organic mulch breaks down and adds certain nutrients to the soil over time. If those nutrients aren’t beneficial to your plants, you could be doing more harm than good. All much is not the same, so make sure you do a little research before you make any final decisions. If you need help with figuring out the best type of mulch for your landscaping, you can always head over to Cal Blend Soils for help.

Mistake # 5 – Mulching at the Wrong Time

It’s important to understand that the time in which you mulch will certainly impact how effective it actually is. It’s always best to mulch your landscaping when the ground is a little bit damp. You should aim to lay down a layer of mulch in the fall so that you can provide your plants with a protective layer that keeps them safe from the cold during the winter. With the right timing, you can give your entire landscape a great chance of coming back strong with the spring comes around. Don’t make the mistake of mulching at the wrong time and doing more harm than good to your plants.

We hope you now have a good idea about what mulching mistakes to avoid whenever you are working outside with mulch. Remember that you can always reach out to Cal Blend Soils to purchase high-quality mulch and get all of your mulching questions answered by an expert.