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TO
MULCH OR NOT TO MULCH…. Mulch. A necessary evil. It costs a lot. It doesn't last long. And most people do not appreciate its beauty. After all, have you ever asked a contractor to design you a nice, big mulch bed so you can be a slam dunk winner for the Building of the Year award?
Horticulturally speaking mulch is an important line item in your landscape maintenance program. It helps retain moisture. It helps protect root zones. It can help slow down erosion. It can help moderate soil temperatures. And it will minimize weeds in your beds.
Each region has an availability and preference of mulching material. Cost is a huge issue because you property managers think everything costs too much, anyway! Even though you could argue that pinestraw is up to three times cheaper than hardwood mulch ($0.11/ft vs. $0.35/ft), consistent availability is the problem. I would continue to use the mulch type that is typically found in your region.
Pinestraw should be long-needle or Slash Pine. The needles from this tree reach 8-10" in length and do not break down as quickly. Short-needled Pine trees typically do not have a good reddish-brown color and do not hold on slopes. It is also good to cultivate the mulch each cycle if it is excessively thick. If you want a quality image on your property, you need to mulch twice per year. A
couple of observations to note. It's
a no-brainer to this landscaper. Where pinestraw is available, use
it. Call me at OLM and I'll explain the math to you!
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Happy Groundhog's Day!
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Aesthetically,
it looks better than dirt - at least better than red Georgia clay.
It gives property a facelift and creates a fresh appearance. When
installed properly, mulch creates a professional, finished look
that enhances curb appeal.
Some
tips. Shredded hardwood mulch should be "double ground"
with few large, woody chips and pieces. It should be aged and not
"green". It should not be derived from ground pallets
("palletized mulch"). Foliage can look chlorotic or yellow
if mulch is too green or laid too thickly. The landscaper should
cultivate mulch away from stems of plants each mulch cycle, which
helps to aerate the mulch and promote decomposition.
Pre-emergent
herbicides represent the most effective and economical method
of weed control when compared to post-emergent approaches.
Controlling weeds before they appear helps to eliminate at
least some of the phone calls you will have to make to your
landscaper later. Pre-emergent also helps eliminate negative
aesthetics of damaged turf and dead weeds caused by post emergent
methods, which will also trigger a phone call to your landscaper,
followed by a call to OLM - usually after 4:30 p.m. on a Friday
afternoon just before a V.I.P. visit to your property.
Timing
is critical when applying pre-emergent products. The initial
application should occur at least 30 days before spring weeds
typically appear. Ask your landscape contractor which crystal
ball they use to predict this occurrence before application.
Using a high quality, name brand product is highly recommended.
Granular products are easier to apply and can be combined
with a fertilizer; therefore one application serves a dual
purpose. Read and follow label directions carefully. A second
application in mid season is necessary to control weeds for
the entire season. A crystal ball is not normally needed to
predict the timing for this application.
Someone
somewhere must have been really bummed about the "holiday
season" being over and by February they just started
inventing holidays. Everyone knows Groundhog's Day, if not
the history behind it, and Valentine's Day. If you snow ski
you know President's Day - try to get a reservation at a ski
resort for that weekend!
Feb.
23 - International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day.
So many questions about this one, first being how did it get
to be international?
