In a recent column, I proposed mulches composed of living plants as an environmentally-friendly alternative for suppressing weeds, enhancing garden plant growth and nurturing the soil. I suspect, ...

Mulch isn”t the most exciting garden topic — after all, what can you say about something that just lies on the ground? But savvy gardeners know that putting down a layer of wood chips, bark, straw or ...

This is the last in a series of articles featuring topics covered in Linda Chalker-Scott’s book, “The Informed Gardener.” All of her science-based information was initially intended for the use of ...

The use of tree-bark mulch in home gardens is a lesson learned from nature. In the forest, plants use fallen bark and other natural debris as a protective coat. By laying bark mulch on your soil, you ...

For more than 20 years, we’ve been using pine bark mulch on our own gardens, while mulch fads came and went. Dyed red wood chips, cypress, dyed shredded rubber and dyed black wood chips have come into ...

Black, brown, red, cypress, hardwood, pine, bark, nuggets, needles, stones – many options of mulch are available to a homeowner or a landscaper today. Such a cornucopia may make it difficult to choose ...

When mulching plants to maximize their growth and health, there are important rules to follow. Mulching around ornamental plants involves covering a portion or all of the root zone with shredded ...

For 17 years, we’ve been using pine bark mulch on our own gardens and show beds, while mulch fads came and went. Dyed red wood chips, cypress, dyed shredded rubber and dyed black wood chips have come ...

Though mulch's main purpose is to preserve moisture and deter weed growth, it also has an aesthetic function, and so the available choices are sometimes the source of disagreement. Some prefer to take ...