Homegrown: Mulching - it's not just about appearances

Jane Schildroth, Iowa State University, Linn County Extension Master Gardener Intern, shares the following about the importance of mulch:

 I used to think people put mulch around their plants because it looks nice.  A garden looks so well-tended, neat and professional with mulch carefully applied between the plantings.  Then, of course, I figured out that mulch keeps weeds under control.  Now I've learned that it has all sorts of other uses and can/should be applied for a variety of purposes and at various times of the year.  But now is the time to consider what you will put on your gardens for the growing season ahead.  You may be deciding to skip the mulch this year, to save the money and the effort.  After all, didn't you just do it last year???

Think carefully about this.  Soil temperature and moisture is retained with the use of mulch – and this is a good reason to wait until the soil is warm and dry before applying it.  Seeds and young roots could rot if you rush to add mulch.  But in the hot, dry days of July and August, the mulch will befriend the plants by retaining precious water.  It will also help keep the soil in place if we have an Iowa downpour.  Your flowers and vegetables will be better off without all the soil splashed on them during the rainstorm and the barrier it provides can reduce spoilage of your crops.

So, once you have decided to mulch, the next question is what to use.  Look around and see what is readily available, what function it is going to serve in your yard, how it looks, how long it will last and the cost.  Don't even think of using rocks, even if you have a friend with a ton to give you.  Plants really do not like living in a quarry!  You likely have access to some of last year's leaves, though.  Shred them to use around your veggies, raspberries, annual flowers and trees/shrubs.  Another easily accessible product is the grass you have just mowed from your lawn.  Be sure to let the clippings dry – and don't use those that come from a freshly herbicide-treated lawn (wait until you have mowed at least 3 times).

I have had good success with cocoa bean shell mulch.  It isn't the cheapest alternative, but it has done wonders for the soil in my perennial beds and I can pick up a bag and spread it fairly easily.  The aroma usually brings over a neighbor to investigate and that break is always fun!  I use 2 inches and re-apply each year.

A popular choice is bark mulch that can be found in bags or bulk through nurseries and landscape companies.  This decomposes more slowly than the others mentioned so far and they also look nice and are free of weeds.  Wood chips, just like bark, can also be used around trees/shrubs, roses and perennials.  Check with local arborists or the city to see if there is material that has been run through a chipper and available.

Newspapers, pine needles, sawdust and straw all make good compost if applied in the proper area in the right way.  These materials may be most readily available to you and will provide a positive mulching experience. You can see “Mulch Choices at a Glance” at

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/RG209.pdf.  So, once you have the mulch on hand, do some full body stretches and grab your shovel.  Your plants will appreciate your work!