When?
One of the main reasons you’d mulch in autumn or early winter would be to protect the plants from the cold, but more importantly from alternating freezing and thawing temperatures. If plants or bulbs freeze and then thaw and then freeze and then thaw, the roots and bulbs get damaged.
Ideally, one would put down their mulch a bit earlier, just after the first hard frost (the frost will put the shrubs and perennials into dormancy)
How?
As beneficial as mulch is, too much can be harmful. The generally recommended mulching depth is 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm).
On wet soils, deep mulch can lead to excess moisture in the root zone, which can stress the plant and cause root rot.
Piling mulch against the trunk or stems of plants can stress stem tissues and may lead to the development of insect and disease problems or stem girdling roots.
Some mulches, especially those containing fresh grass clippings, can affect soil pH and may eventually lead to nutrient deficiencies or toxic build-ups.
Mulch piled high against the trunks of young trees may create habitats for rodents that chew the bark and can girdle the trees.
With what do you mulch?
Composted wood chips can make good mulch, especially when they include some bark and leaves. Fresh wood chips also may be used around established trees and shrubs. Avoid using fine, non-composted wood chips, as soil nitrogen may be taken up by the roots as the wood chips decompose.
See you soon at the Pavilion :)
Monica
Problems Associated with Improper Mulching
