When designing your landscaping beds, you have the option of using mulch or stone for the bed material. Both mulching materials can make your garden look stunning, but natural mulch has significantly more benefits over time. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of mulch over stone beds.
Mulch Puts Matter Back into the Soil
As mulch breaks down, it puts matter back into the soil. In other words, mulch acts as a natural food source that gradually releases over time. The drawback to this is that mulch has to be topped-off from time to time. At Berns Landscaping, we typically add fresh layer of mulch with every bed care session to make up for this.
Mulch Beds Can Be Cultivated
One of the biggest perks of mulch is that it is light weight and easy to remove. That means the soil below it can be cultivated at least once a year. This is a common bed cleanup step – remove the old mulch, cultivate the soil and apply a new, lush layer of mulch. With stone beds, there is no access to the soil below. The plants within the bed have limited access to new nutrients, thereby inhibiting their growth potential.
Thick Mulch Acts as a Weed Barrier
With thick mulch, there is no need for a weed barrier. The mulch blocks the weeds from having access to sunlight, so they cannot reach the surface. A ‘thick’ mulch bed is around four inches deep. The plant material is still able to access the sun because it rests above the mulch bed. Water penetrates the ground through the gaps between the mulch, keeping the plants well-fed.
Stone Beds Can Get Hot in the Summer
Think about how hot the pavement gets during the summer. Stone beds radiate a similar amount of heat around your plants. Dark stones absorb light, and light stone reflect it directly onto the plants. This is a concentrated amount of heat that most plants are not built to tolerate.
Mulch Can Save You Money over Time
At first glance, mulching seems more expensive than stone mulch because of the repeat application. However, mulch can save you money over time because it protects your plant life and preserves the soil below. The healthier your plants are, the stronger they are to fight against pests and disease. You’ll get the gorgeous garden you want with les maintenance overall.
To schedule a consultation with one of our horticulturists or professional landscape designers, contact Berns Landscaping at 586-756-1145.
Berns Landscaping
23500 Blackstone Ave
Warren, Michigan 48089