Mulching
Fresh hardwood mulch cut in every bed, every spring. Clean edges, rich color, good weed suppression.
A two-inch layer of aged hardwood mulch, cut in clean along every bed line and spread evenly around trees and shrubs. We edge the beds first, clean out old debris, and install the fresh layer on a sharp line.
Mulch does three things: it holds moisture in the root zone during hot weeks, it smothers weed seedlings before they break the surface, and it gives your beds a clean, finished appearance that sets off the plants. The right amount is about two inches — less is cosmetic, more starts to bake and hold water against stems.
What we use
We use aged, double-shredded hardwood from a local supplier. Dyed mulches are available if you prefer, but we recommend natural for most properties — it ages to a nice gray over a season instead of looking artificial. We never use dump-yard cedar or rubber mulch; both cause more problems than they solve.
Volcano mulching is bad
A mulch “volcano” piled up against a tree trunk will rot the bark, invite pests, and slowly kill the tree. We never do it. We install tree rings flat, pulled back an inch or two from the trunk, exactly the way an arborist would.