Mulch: Let Your Soil Feel (and Look) Better

With spring planting in full swing, word from the Nursery Department is: Lots of new folks are moving to Santa Fe. And they come in saying: "What's the deal with this soil? It's like digging in brick." Adobe brick to be precise. And the deal with t

  • Topic: Mulch
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: soil, mulch, water, erosion, weed control
  • Date: May 2006

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With spring planting in full swing, word from the Nursery Department is: Lots of new folks are moving to Santa Fe. And they come in saying: “What’s the deal with this soil? It’s like digging in brick.”

Adobe brick to be precise. And the deal with the soil is it needs help. Jeff Clark, assistant nursery manager, suggested doing an article about mulching. Good idea.

We’re in a drought which makes clay soil doubly dry. The best thing to do is start mulching. Mulch is any substance spread on the ground to keep plants and soil from drying out. Apply in the spring and in the fall to protect your garden year round.

There are two kinds of mulch:

  • Organic—bark, wood chips, sawdust, straw, leaves and newspaper.
  • Inorganic—stone, gravel and plastic coverings.

Mulch will also:

  • conserve soil moisture
  • keep down weeds
  • reduce erosion
  • keep plant roots cool during the summer
  • provide insulation during the winter

How to Mulch

Remove any existing weeds before applying. Spread at least 1 to 2 inches of mulch in flowerbeds; 2 to 3 inches around shrubs and trees. For trees, extend a ring of mulch from the trunk to the drip line. The drip line is the edge of the branches where rain and melted snow drip off the tree.

Keep mulch about six inches away from trunk; and don’t cover the crown of plants or the center where the main stems grow. If these areas are kept too moist, the plants could rot. For xeric plants that prefer a non-packing mulch, use pea gravel.

Mulch an entire area to a uniform depth. Any remaining low or bare spots are prone to weed problems.

More Reasons to Use Mulch

Organic mulches decompose and become part of the soil, helping to loosen the clay and let it breathe. Mulches need to be replenished, but don’t let mulch build to depths greater than 4 inches.

Another reason to mulch is it makes a garden look good. I prefer using the Soil Mender® Mulch; being organic it not only decomposes easily but makes my garden looks the way it should—tidy and fertile.