When to Mulch

Shredded leaves cover one of my flower beds this winter. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“…I get confused, when am I supposed to mulch? I love how the garden looks after I get it covered in mulch….” — Lilie

When to Mulch

Hi Lilie, I love the way my garden looks after I have mulched it as well, a friend in the landscaping business calls mulch his secret weapon.

Mulch, however, is more than aesthetics to a garden or, more specifically, the plants growing in the garden. Mulch helps to protect plant roots from the heaving and thawing caused by fluctuating temperatures, which is why the traditional recommendation is to mulch after the first hard frost.

By that hard frost, the ground is solid and mulching will help maintain that temperature so plants can enjoy a period of dormancy.

With our rapidly changing climate, though, our temperatures in mid-Missouri can shift from record cold to record hot in just a matter of days.

I still wait to put my garden to bed after the first hard frost, that way I know the roots are getting put to bed for the season. With these recent record warm temperatures, I have been mulching with shredded leaves from our local recycling center. I then cover the shredded leaves with the wood mulch.

You can also mulch in spring, when you want the soil to remain cool before hot temperatures move in.

Frankly if you keep your plants mulched throughout the growing season, you will be doing the roots a favor and help soil retain moisture as well.

Charlotte