To Mulch or Not to Mulch? That is the Great Gardening Question!

I would always buy the black mulch so that regardless of my soil color underneath it always looked like there was rich , black earth in my beds. It was easy to apply and held up wonderfully throughout the season.

My dilemma came once I began feeding birds here during Winter in my garden, lots of them flocked here and ate when times were tough. Even in Spring and Summer when the feeders were taken down they hung out here in the safety of my trees and shrubs and foraged for food, raised young and so on.

That's when the mulch became a concern, knowing it was treated with dye and other unknowns I wondered if it would pose any harm to them or other wildlife in the garden??

This was my opinion and my concious decision that I made for specifically for my garden. I switched to other natural options to top dress my flower beds, I buy topsoil and mix my own compost with it. My new way of refreshing in Spring may not be as uniform in color or texture but it still makes a vast improvement.

I get a nice, tidy bed and the and plants get the rich compost added in the mix. I have the peace of mind knowing it's all natural posing no harm to my little garden visitors and their babies.

In addition to top dressing my beds, at this same time I gently stir in slow release pellet fertilizer near the base of each plant "before" I cover it over with the soil mixture. Instructions are on the container of course as to the amount you would apply depending on plant size and so on.

I buy Shake and Feed because it is so convenient, no more mixing solutions and watering it in with a heavy watering can. It's perfect for my area because it will feed them for 3 months and that's about how long our growing season really is here!

So with a just a little effort put forth in Spring to apply fertilizer and add the top dressing my plants flourish all Summer without much effort. I just need to dead head and water them in dry spells.

* Note: I have all perennials so its key to keep them happy and healthy in their growing season to ensure that theyll return that same way the following year.

* Note: Do Not fertilize "perennials" late in the growing season when Summer is winding down because your plants will continue to grow and produce new growth when really they should be getting ready to shut down and prepare to rest for the dormant season.

Annuals are different since they only live a single growing season so you can continue to feed and deadhead them until they stop producing.

Final Notes

* If you choose to use mulch, apply it moderately and not directly against the plant stem or tree trunk because it can lead to stem rotting.

*Know your garden, if you get a lot of heat and sun mulch can provide great cooling layer and help conserve water loss from evaporation. In my case we do not get a lot of dry heat and I'm not charged for my water usage with a meter which is another thing to consider.

*Do research in gardening books and magazines, ask questions at your garden center and always try to get tips from fellow gardeners in your area, they know the most about your local growing conditions!

Happy Gardening and always garden with a close friend!😉

*Most important to note is that it can pose a "fire hazard" in hot and dry conditions and lead into a spark or hot amber igniting the dry mulch.

* Costs and time listed below are very flexible depending on what you buy to top dress and the size of your garden bed.