To mulch, or not to mulch
Spring has finally sprung and it is a welcome change in season. Most are eager to clean up their yards and mulch their planting beds. It is understandable that you would want to help usher in spring as soon as possible after a long winter. Especially, if there has been consistent warmth in March. But can you start these services too early? Although you probably won’t have issues cleaning the yard early, mulching can be a different story. Try to not be envious if you see other properties with mulched beds in March, or early April. Being patient is worth the wait. It may look good now, but this is New England.
The last 2 years alone have proven that no matter what weather we may have in March, there is still a significant chance of getting plowable snow well into April. This could easily damage mulched planting beds. Another important reason for not mulching too early is the color. Mulch naturally fades throughout the season from exposure to the sun and other natural weather elements. The longer you can hold off installing the mulch, the longer the color will last throughout the season.
When asked; our Operations Manager (Brad Chase) said “We try to time the mulch installation with the planting of summer annuals around Memorial Day to really make the properties pop! It also helps to install the mulch after the perennials have shown their location, as well.” As with anything else, you can find varying opinions on this topic, online. Weather and desired outcome dictate everything. But we have found that installing mulch sometime between the second week of May and immediately after Memorial Day is the best practice for this region. I hope these tips help you get the most out of your mulch and keep your property looking great throughout the growing season and beyond.