What To Think About With Mulch

If you’ve been holding off on spreading mulch in your yard, you made the right decision. While it’s tempting to build a solid landscaping foundation early in the season, this week’s pollen dump made it tough to do the job. Luckily, most of the early blooms have now fallen which makes it the perfect time to start tidying up. 

Mulch might seem like an aesthetic gardening step, but it actually has a lot of benefits. Most homeowners use mulch to cover bare soil in flower beds, around trees, and in any grassless areas that are susceptible to weeds. Mulch acts as a protectant; it keeps the soil warm and moist while keeping unwanted growth at bay. Most mulch options are made from organic materials such as wood and bark, so natural nutrients are absorbed into the ground. Plus, mulch really makes a yard look neat and well-looked after. So if you’re sold on the benefits, let’s talk about the options because all are not created equal. 

Wood 

The most popular mulch is chipped wood or shredded bark which you can get from a landscaping store, lumberyard, or even for free if your town has public compost. Wood mulch is highly customizable both in color and size. Bigger chips give the ground more breathing room but they move around a bit more, while shredded materials stay put slightly better. In terms of color, you can always go natural or choose red, brown, or black mulch to match your home aesthetic. Mulch is colored using a vegetable dye which might temporarily stain any paths, walkways, or your hands. Don’t worry, it’s nothing a good 20-second scrub or a rainstorm won’t take care of.

Stone

If the area that you’re mulching is on a slope, I recommend going with pea gravel instead of wood mulch. Pea gravel is heavier and will stay put in high drainage areas much better than wood. There is such a thing as too much moisture and if an area tends to be wet, wood mulch can get moldy. Stone will allow the water to pass through easier without retaining excess moisture.

Straw

If you want to protect a newly seeded area of your lawn, straw is a great option. Not to be confused with hay which can germinate and produce weeds, straw will help grass seed from washing away and it deters birds and mice from a feast. It also naturally decomposes so there is no clean-up, but remember, this option is only for temporary use.

Regardless of what you use, I always recommend weeding your beds and staking landscaper’s fabric around existing trees and shrubs before you mulch. This is the best defense against weeds and it lasts for years so you don’t have to worry about doing it every spring. Whatever you do, don’t use plastic unless you don’t want anything at all to grow. Unlike fabric, plastic will cut off any oxygen to the area, effectively making it a dead zone for all plants, shrubs, and trees. Also, don’t be shy while you’re spreading. Weeds are strong and won’t be deterred by a thin layer. Go for a base of four or so inches to keep them from popping through. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Now is the Time To Start Thinking About Mulch

If you’ve been holding off on spreading mulch in your yard, you made the right decision. While it’s tempting to build a solid landscaping foundation early in the season, this week’s pollen dump made it tough to do the job. Luckily, most of the early blooms have now fallen which makes it the perfect time to start tidying up. 

Mulch might seem like an unnecessary gardening step, but it actually has a lot of benefits. Most homeowners use mulch to cover bare soil in flower beds, around trees, and in any grassless areas that are susceptible to weeds. Mulch acts as a protectant; it keeps the soil warm and moist while keeping unwanted growth at bay. Most mulch options are made from organic materials such as wood and bark, so natural nutrients are absorbed into the ground. Plus, mulch really makes a yard look neat and well-looked after. So if you’re sold on the benefits, let’s talk about the options because all are not created equal. 

Wood 

The most popular mulch is chipped wood or shredded bark which you can get from a landscaping store, lumberyard, or even for free if your town has public compost. Wood mulch is highly customizable both in color and size. Bigger chips give the ground more breathing room but they move around a bit more, while shredded materials stay put slightly better. In terms of color, you can always go natural or choose red, brown, or black mulch to match your home aesthetic. Mulch is colored using a vegetable dye which might temporarily stain any paths, walkways, or your hands. Don’t worry, it’s nothing a good 20-second scrub or a rainstorm won’t take care of.

Stone

If the area that you’re mulching is on a slope, I recommend going with pea gravel instead of wood mulch. Pea gravel is heavier and will stay put in high drainage areas much better than wood. There is such a thing as too much moisture and if an area tends to be wet, wood mulch can get moldy. Stone will allow the water to pass through easier without retaining excess moisture.

Straw

If you want to protect a newly seeded area of your lawn, straw is a great option. Not to be confused with hay which can germinate and produce weeds, straw will help grass seed from washing away and it deters birds and mice from a feast. It also naturally decomposes so there is no clean-up, but remember, this option is only for temporary use.

Regardless of what you use, I always recommend weeding your beds and staking landscaper’s fabric around existing trees and shrubs before you mulch. This is the best defense against weeds and it lasts for years so you don’t have to worry about doing it every spring. Whatever you do, don’t use plastic unless you don’t want anything at all to grow. Unlike fabric, plastic will cut off any oxygen to the area, effectively making it a dead zone for all plants, shrubs, and trees. Also, don’t be shy while you’re spreading. Weeds are strong and won’t be deterred by a thin layer. Go for a base of four or so inches to keep them from popping through. 
Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Crabgrass Begone

With a ton of rain, very high humidity, and hot temperatures, weeds are having a veritable field day this summer. For those of us who love a beautiful lawn, crabgrass is enemy number one and it’s loving every bit of the weird and wild weather we are having.

Crabgrass is just like other weeds in that it likes to take over. Once crabgrass gets its roots down, it spreads quickly, killing healthy grass in its path. Of course, crabgrass dies on its own when it starts to turn cold, but not treating it means it’s more likely to come back. Here’s what you can do today to get rid of it and keep it from ruining your lawn next year. 

The best course of action for crabgrass is a pre-emergent, but that’s only good in the spring before the crabgrass starts to grow, so if you missed it, it looks like you’ll be pulling by hand. That’s right, get out that kneepad because the best way to remove any weed is to pull it out, ensuring the roots come with it. The recent rain should have loosened those roots up a bit so now is as good a time as any.

Once you have the crabgrass out, you can fill in the bare spots with healthy grass seed and plenty of water. It’s important to wait to reseed if you’ve recently sprayed your lawn with weed killer. Water is also key here because the heat does make it tough for grass to grow. 

Now for your mowing. It’s best to keep the grass a bit longer and to let the clippings stay in place to give some nutrients and shade back into the lawn. Three inches is a good, healthy length for both old and new grass.  

If you’re looking for a chemical solution, you can use a post-emergent, but this can be tricky as the wrong product will kill your grass. When in doubt, it’s best to leave this job to a professional landscaper who can advise you on the most appropriate course of action. You don’t want to accidentally burn your whole lawn while trying to save it. 

Don’t forget, treating your lawn with a pre-emergent in the spring is the best way to avoid crabgrass in the first place. Crabgrass starts to germinate when the soil reaches 55 degrees, so it’s a good idea to get out there in April to ensure that your hard work is worth the effort.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.