Experts in Tree Care Services Can Recommend the Best Mulch for Your Gardens

Now that spring weather has finally arrived, property owners in Newmarket and Toronto are preparing to work on their lawns and gardens.  Plans are in place for the purchase of fertilizer, grass seed, new bedding plants, and new shrubs – all with the intent of giving their properties a lush and healthy appearance.

Some of these purchases will be made with an emphasis on adding colour and texture to the overall landscape design; and there may likely be some internal debate among these homeowners over the specific types of bedding plants and whether red, yellow, or purple blooms would have the greatest impact.

Regardless of the ultimate plant choices and decisions that they will make, one way for homeowners to enhance the lushness and vibrancy of their flower gardens is through the addition of mulch.  While some of these materials can add colour themselves, perhaps their most vital contributions will be their positive impact on soil moisture and nutrients.  What’s more is that mulch applications are not limited to bedding plants; they can be of equal benefit to tree care as well.

There are several options when considering the type of mulch to be spread throughout a property.  The most common forms, in no particular order, would consist of:

• Wood chips
• Bark chunks
• Crushed stone or gravel
• Pine needles or shredded leaves
• Straw or hay (if readily available)
• Dense plant cover (a living mulch)

The advantages of using mulch in flower beds and around tree bases are rather diverse.  Further to adding colour and texture from an aesthetic or curb appeal perspective, mulch offers the following benefits to plants and trees and their surrounding soil:

• Improves water absorption into the soil
• Reduces water evaporation from the soil
• Minimizes or slows the rate of weed growth
• Enriches soil quality (as mulch decomposes)
• Eliminates the need for manufactured fertilizers
• Attracts worms, in turn producing natural compost
• Insulates soil (moderates temperatures in summer/winter)

For best results, particularly in relation to moisture retention in the soil and retardation of weed growth, mulch should be spread at a depth of roughly four inches.  In terms of its use around trees/woody stems, mulch should not be placed closer than a distance of six inches from the base.

Another important factor to note is that the choice of mulch may need to be based on:

• Type of plant(s)
• Season of the year
• Amount of shade/sunlight

Newmarket and Toronto area property owners who may be uncertain of the specific type of mulch that would be best suited for their gardens and trees may want to consult with an expert from a professional tree services provider such as DreamWorks Tree Services.

A Broad Range of Tree Care Services for Residential and Commercial Properties

Property owners who want to enrich and highlight their flower gardens, tree bases, and landscaping can arrange for a delivery of all-organic wood chips from DreamWorks Tree Services.  In addition to this option, DreamWorks Tree Services offers a complete range of residential and commercial tree care services to assist homeowners and site managers with their springtime tree and flower bed needs and/or preparations.

These services include:

• Tree planting
• Tree removal
• Stump removal
• Spur-free pruning
• Cabling and bracing
• Hedge trimming and shrub care
• Tree removal permit applications
• Commercial property maintenance
• 24/7 emergency storm damage cleanup

For more in-depth information on any or all of these tree care services, including insight on mulch applications this spring, call DreamWorks Tree Services at 647-924-2627 or contact us to schedule a no-obligation on-site consultation at your earliest convenience.