This is the best time to plan ahead your lawn care and landscaping maintenance programs. Spring is the best time to consider new sustainable, eco-friendly and reliable methods to further enhance your lawn and landscape development. Beauty, health, and value are goals you should aim for and mulch is one of your best allies. Mulch covers all the fertilization, aesthetics, protection, and weeds and pests suppression. Our local lawn care Powell, OH specialists are here today to talk to you about five types of organic mulches you can use this year.

1. Grass Clippings

This type of mulch is made of the grass clippings collected after mowing sessions. They are recommended in tree plantings and flower beds. Just make sure you don’t apply a layer thicker than 1 inch. Grass clippings mat together and can prevent the natural flow of oxygen and water if applied in the incorrect manner. Mix the clippings with shredded leaves or straw to keep the mulch aerated and avoid compaction.

2. Shredded Leaves

To use of shredded leaves as mulch you first need to let the leaves dry. If you use them while wet, leaves compact together and interfere with the natural air flow of the soil. Wet leaves can also entertain diseases, pests, and weeds. Dry leaves should be shredded with the lawn mower. This type of mulch is recommended mostly for tree plantings. It is a good fertilizer, releasing nitrogen into the soil. To prevent the leaves from shattering, you should also sprinkle a thin layer of soil over them.

3. Shredded Bark

This mulch is usually used for its aesthetic role and for its protective features against pests and weeds. While it is less nutritious in comparison to grass clippings or leaves, bark is used for tree plantings and it is sometimes mixed with inorganic mulches like landscape fabric to achieve a reliable weed barrier. Ask your local lawn care Powell, OH specialists before you apply this type of mulch, as bark is slightly acidic and you may need to mix it with lime.

4. Seaweed

Fresh seaweed is probably the best organic mulch you can get your hands on – an excellent nutrient that decomposes rapidly. However, seaweed decomposes quite rapidly, so you need to replace it quite often. It can leave behind dry patches of soil that can permit weed proliferation. Our lawn care Powell, OH specialists recommend you to enhance seaweed mulch with grass clippings and straws to avoid compacting. This mulch variety is an amazing snail repellent, a perfect soil insulator and an exquisite fertilizer. Some store-bought seaweed mulch varieties can be too salty so you need to rinse the mulch before application in case some of your plants are sensitive to salt.

5. Buckwheat Hulls

This organic type of mulch conserves moisture perfectly. It does a good job of keeping the soil cool and it is recommended for plantings exposed to the sun for lengthier times in the summer. Besides being an excellent weed suppressor, this mulch is also weed free and clean, with a fine texture and a gorgeous look. It makes a nice addition to visible parts of the landscape, such as flower beds and trees. You should mix it with coarser mulches to prevent scattering and don’t apply it in a later thicker than 2 inches.

If you want to learn more about these organic mulches or others (like straw or sawdust), ask your lawn care Powell, OH experts for more tips on mulching your garden and landscape.