Two inches of mulch, and why more is worse

Mulch is the most over-applied material in any yard. The right amount is less than most people put down, and it goes in a different place than most people put it.

Two inches, measured

Two inches suppresses weeds and holds moisture. Four inches sheds light rain before it reaches the soil and starves the roots of air.

Never against the stem

A mound of mulch around a trunk holds moisture against the bark until it rots, and then the roots grow into the mulch instead of the soil. Leave a hand’s width of bare ground all the way around.

Once a year

Spring, when the soil has warmed. Topping up in autumn buries the crowns of perennials that are trying to go dormant.

What we use

Double-ground hardwood. It knits together so it stays on a slope, and it breaks down into the soil instead of sitting on it.