Mulch is a great organic product for your landscape. It looks great! Nothing says spring like a new fresh coat of mulch. Plus, as mulch decomposes it adds organic matter to the soil. Organic matter will open up a soil from slight compaction damage and make nutrients already in the soil available to the surrounding plants and micro-organisms. Mulch will keep moisture in the soil for the plants, keep the soil cooler in summer months/warm in the winter months and prevent soil erosion. It is made from industrial byproducts that get recycled back into the earth and does not go into landfills.
All our mulches are made from tree care and land clearing industry bi-products. No construction or building materials are used. Our dyed mulches are made from wood chips and hardwood/softwood brush and logs from local tree care and landscape companies. Our natural, triple ground mulch is made from site work and land clearing contractor wood waste, trees, shrubs, stumps etc.
Yes, the dye used is all natural, safe and non-toxic.
If the mulch is cured and dry it should not run. Our mulch is made over the fall and winter months and sits in pile to cure. We do not recommend dumping or spreading dyed mulch on light colored surfaces. It can stain. We also do not recommend applying died mulch in rain or before a heavy rain storm. Give the mulch a day or two of sunny weather to dry out after being spread. If left in a pile the top layer may bleed out color but the rest of the pile will be fine. Just mix up before spreading or loading a wheelbarrow.
To a degree. A good layer of mulch will have some annual weed seed smothering characteristics. We recommend a pre-emergent herbicide (preen) applied beneath the mulch for more effective control or even a newspaper, craft paper or cardboard layer beneath the mulch will work also. There are three types of weeds: annual, biennial and perennial. Learn what weeds you have and you will have more success in weed control in your landscape.
No, bulk mulch piles in our yard contain too much heat to harbor insects and are ground three times to keep a nice fine grind. Typically, spring cleanup and spreading a new layer of mulch around your home will stir up some Ants. Termites? No, termites need a continuous vein of wood cellulose to thrive.
If mulch is wet it may grow certain fungus. After all, mulch is a decaying wood product. It can attract Artillery Fungus, Bird’s Nest Fungus or Slime Molds under certain conditions. Many are just aesthetically unpleasant, however Artillery Fungus can cause tiny spores to shoot and stick to shiny surfaces like siding or cars. If you see fungus present in your mulch, carefully scoop it up with a shovel without disturbing it and discard in a garbage can. These issues are representative of environmental conditions, not the quality of your mulch. For more information visit Penn State Extension Service’s article, “What’s growing in my mulch?”
Yes. We have all seen the “mulch volcanos” in local shopping centers and housing developments. This can damage and stress trees to the point of death. All trees have a root flair that terminates into the ground. This is the start of the root system for the tree and if covered the tree cannot breathe properly, holds moisture against the trunk and can be an entry point for insect pests. The tree will also put out roots into this overage of soil and these roots can girdle other roots and even choke off the trunk of the tree. It all starts with proper planting of the tree and shrub at the correct height.
Great! We charge a fee to design your landscape area. When you purchase a design, you can do it yourself, have us install it or even have another company perform the services. When you buy a design, its yours to use how you’d like.
Our design fee includes meeting with you onsite to discuss what you would like to have done, measuring the area, providing a CAD design, and making minor changes after you review the design. Anything above and beyond that we would charge an hourly rate.