Expert guidance on mulch selection, preparation, and installation from professional landscape contractors serving Northeast Ohio.
Spring is going to be here again, and I’ve been asked numerous times if I’m ready for it yet, like a broken record nobody asked to be played. Of course I’m ready for it, but I’m a native to Northeast Ohio and I can appreciate the challenges of living where your face hurts 6 months out of the year, without glorifying the redundancy of stating the obvious.
Mulch installation is synonymous with spring; I still chuckle at some of the advertising puns you see driving around the Chagrin Valley Corridor this time of year. One of my favorites being “so mulch fun,” but I have so mulch to say I think I’ll compost myself first…Sorry it was deliberate, and I do feel mulch better.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- How to choose the right mulch type for your Chagrin Valley landscape
- Professional preparation techniques that create healthy plant ecosystems
- Proper installation depths and methods for long-term success
- The invisible work that separates professional mulch installation from DIY attempts
- Why mulch matters beyond just aesthetics
So let’s stay on topic. Mulch Madness is here and you’re trying to figure out what the hype is about and how to move forward from the harsh Northeast Ohio winter… otherwise you would have left with those that did in ’78. You’re here because you enjoy the seasons and look for the natural beauty that the Chagrin Valley landscape has to offer regardless of the temperature.
Preparing yourself for spring mulch installation
Mulch installation is one of those tasks that any physically able person can do. High schoolers unite, families and churches create a workday to task the installation of mulch all the time. The question is, do they want to and is it being done right?
(Read our blog on Why mulching is beneficial if you’re still in need of convincing.)
However, it begs the question that if it’s not being done right, is it being done at all? I make it a point to instill the value in new staff members that if it’s not done correctly, it’s not done. You can’t paint dirty walls; you can only paint the dirt. I think mulching becomes superficial for a lot of people, and it’s one of our jobs to explain the value of a properly installed mulch job to those clients and how, when installed correctly, it starts to create an ecosystem that at its very core fosters small pockets of biodiversity.
What kind and where to purchase mulch in Chagrin Falls
So you have your pitchfork… yes, pitchfork, not shovel, and your wheelbarrow. But where do you get your mulch and how do you know how much to get? There are many mulch suppliers in the Chagrin Valley, and even more local landscape contractors ready, willing, and able to deliver and install it for you. But I think any adamant consumer wants some kind of information that resonates with their expectations before pulling the trigger on any purchase.
Mulch comes in many types and colors such as double shredded, triple shredded, black, brown, etc., etc. So, which one do you choose?
Truth be told, a lot of mulches are created equal. There are some special conditions you may be trying to overcome that may warrant a specific mulch, but for the most part, as long as the mulch is all natural and installed correctly, you’re going to have a happy, healthier backyard landscape.
Our recommendation for choosing mulch
If you want my opinion of what kind of mulch to purchase, I tend to fancy a triple shredded, naturally colored brown mulch that consists of hardwoods and composts. No, it won’t last as long as an all-hardwood mulch, but it is mulch and at its core it is designed to break down and provide nutrients for the soil above and beyond the aesthetics of the final product.
A mulch that incorporates more than just hardwood doesn’t float away with every rainstorm and provides a smoother finish if that is your fancy. Either way, an all-hardwood mulch is still a great option if you are in the market of installing mulch in your backyard landscape.
Now that you have chosen your mulch and are armed with some knowledge that installing mulch in a certain way creates additional value and fosters healthier plants, ultimately adding to the original intent of aesthetics to your backyard landscapes. So what is that certain way then?
Understanding proper installation methods
Understanding the phrase “there is more than one way to skin a cat” hits hard here, but if you’re trying to keep that cat alive, there are techniques that we as a local landscape contractor use and stand by to ensure that our product meets our objective of mitigating the environmental impact of progress.
When installing mulch, it is important to note your current conditions when choosing the appropriate depth to install at.
Mulch installation depth guidelines
If you’re one of those gung-ho homeowners that is hell-bent on installing mulch every season, great, call us. We have wonderful programs that keep you informed but leave the management to us.
However, step back for a moment and consider meeting yourself halfway by top dressing it at no more than an inch thick. This way you’re not burying plants over time and creating future drainage or plant health issues by over-mulching your backyard landscape.
If your backyard mulch beds, however, are in less-than-desirable conditions. For example, let’s say maybe you’re new to the property, or it wasn’t important in the past, you would need to consider laying it down thicker layer (consider 3 or so inches) to achieve a clean, velvet appearance when complete. In either case preparation of the mulch beds themselves is necessary.
Preparing your Chagrin Valley backyard landscape for mulch
So here you are in your backyard, surveying your backyard landscape from Northeast Ohio’s brutal winter. Although some might think tossing mulch over the mess is superficial, let’s talk about it a little more.
Let’s talk about why it might be a good idea to contact your local landscape contractor to assess what it takes to install mulch and execute the invisible work of properly preparing and installing mulch in a backyard landscape.
The Victorian edge technique
One of my favorite features of installing mulch, and is nonnegotiable in most situations, is the Victorian edge. This edge is placed by cleanly cutting a trench at the border of the mulch bed and not filling the trench with mulch so that the final product clearly defines the mulch space from the turf space.
We won’t go into mulch detail about the specifics of pruning right now. There is, and will be, other blogs for that. Either way if you’re not comfortable moving forward from here make a call to your local landscape contractor.
The invisible preparation work
Before the first yard of mulch is installed, expert mulch installers will process winter debris like leaves, branches, and dead herbaceous materials. We’ll go over pruning expectations with clients (when necessary) so that a finished product can be achieved that originally wasn’t realized, since after all you just wanted to install mulch.
I won’t try to create a huge landscape design project from installing mulch for a client, but I think it’s important to go over expectations and give all the options that are available. If we can partner earlier with our clients, we can prepare our staff to execute preventive maintenance tasks so we aren’t explaining to them in July that their overgrown landscape could have been regulated when we installed the mulch in April if we had nailed down those specifics the
Spreading mulch the right way
What expert mulch installers know
Expert mulch installers know not to cover any part of a growing object such as roots or new growth just emerging from the ground, especially tree flares. Doing so will inhibit growth of the plant and if done so year over year will be a reason the plant dies.
Expert mulch installers will avoid placing mulch against wooden structures and existing shrubs. Mulch will naturally decay and has a natural tendency to retain moisture; both these traits are bad news against wooden structures.
Using the correct size wheelbarrow, and in some cases something smaller such as a five-gallon bucket to work from will help avoid these situations including drizzling mulch on rocks, stonework or other ornamental features. And finally, we spread the mulch in a fashion that does not encourage water to puddle or run towards the house.
So, there’s a lot of preparation and nuance that goes into every mulch installation taken on by Carmel Landscapes. Maybe considering all these little invisible tasks warrants a call to your local landscape contractor. There are a lot of details that go into one simple, superficial task.
Carmel Landscapes specializes in professional landscape design, hardscaping, and sustainable outdoor living spaces throughout the Chagrin Valley and Northeast Ohio. Our expert mulch installation services are part of comprehensive landscape care programs designed to protect your investment and foster healthy, beautiful outdoor environments.
Contact us today to discuss your spring mulching needs.
We're hiring!
Carmel Landscapes is seeking motivated, skilled workers to join our team. Skilled laborers are needed for our high-end hardscape projects. Horticulture and landscape technicians are needed to help design, plant and maintain our sustainable, eco-friendly projects.
We value hard work, craftsmanship and an eye for detail, offering competitive pay and full-time employees enjoy benefits and PTO.