What is mulch?
If you are considering getting your commercial space spruced up with plants, you’ve probably heard of the term a few times from speaking with landscape contractors. Although it may sound like just another landscaping jargon, it’s actually a helpful step that can provide countless benefits.
Mulch is a protective layer applied over the soil to suppress weed growth, retain moisture, and prevent soil erosion. It can also help regulate temperature and serve as a barrier that shields the lawn or garden from landscape maintenance equipment and foot traffic.
However, mulching can damage trees and plants if not done correctly. So, if you plan to have your property landscaped, it pays to know what mulch can do and how it must be implemented to get maximum benefits. Read on to learn more.
As mentioned previously, landscape mulch can provide several advantages, including:
Did you know that 50 per cent of the UAE’s water consumption is used for gardening? According to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the average UAE gardener uses 36 per cent more water than needed for their plants.
Considering the global water crisis, this is a massive waste of resources. But since water is crucial for the growth and sustainability of plants, especially in hot and arid climates like the UAE, you need to find ways to keep the soil moist without consuming too much water. A practical solution landscape maintenance contractors use for this is mulching.
Mulching helps keep water in the soil from evaporating too quickly, giving roots more time to soak up the moisture the plant needs to thrive. It can also alter the microclimate within the soil, ensuring that it supports optimal plant growth.
In Western countries like the United States, mulching protects plants from frost during the snow season. In the UAE, landscape mulch also helps prevent plant damage, except this time, it’s from hot summers and fluctuating extreme temperatures.
Mulching can help maintain a consistent soil temperature throughout the year. This promotes healthier plants and protects fragile seedlings so they can grow into healthy, mature plants.
Another key role of mulching is weed control.
Weeds compete with plants for nutrients. Mulch covers the topmost layer of the soil and blocks the former’s access to sunlight, preventing weed growth. This eliminates the need for manual weed removal, giving your contractors more time to focus on other important landscape maintenance tasks while ensuring the greenery grows healthily.
Mulching can also improve and maintain soil quality.
Both organic and inorganic mulch prevent the existing nutrients in the soil from being washed away by rain or overwatering. As a bonus, organic mulch also breaks down after some time, enriching the soil with more nutrients and encouraging microbial activity that can be beneficial for plant health.
There are two types of mulch for landscaping: organic and inorganic mulch. As the name implies, organic mulch is made from organic matter, including:
Organic mulch is great for regulating temperature and maintaining soil moisture. It also enhances and retains the soil's nutrient content.
Both types of mulches can suppress weeds.
Meanwhile, inorganic mulch is those that don’t decompose. It also helps retain soil nutrients but does not add to them.
Examples of this type of mulch include rock, gravel, and pebbles, which are favoured in applications where fire can be a hazard. Inorganic mulch is also preferred in commercial environments, particularly pathways and parking lots.
Though they may serve the same purpose, certain types of mulch are better suited for specific situations than others.
For example, stone mulches last longer than every other type of mulch, followed by rubber and black plastic. They are also the heaviest, which means they are the least likely to get washed away by rain. That said, stone mulches, along with crushed seashells and recycled rubber, are also among the most expensive.
Not sure what mulch is right for your commercial landscape? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Mulches that retain water are ideal in a hot and arid climate like the UAE. Of course, you should still consider the possibility of rainfall, as certain places in the country experience showers occasionally.
If your landscape includes shrubs and flowerbeds, use organic mulches like compost, which leaches nutrients into the soil when drenched in water.
Landscapes with trees tend to benefit from having mulching as long as it is applied in a way that lets the tree roots breathe. As for the type of mulch to use, think about what’s typically found covering forest floors: leaves, rotten wood, twigs, and wilted flowers.
Pro Tip: Fresh wood chips can rob the soil of nitrogen as it decomposes. To avoid this, never mix fresh chips into the soil.
In landscaping, mulching is done not only to ensure plant health but also to keep pathways and other open areas free of weeds. Aside from ensuring functionality, this also helps maintain a neat and clean appearance for the landscape.
That said, it’s best to avoid compost mulch in pathways and areas that people walk on. Instead, choose burlap, cedar wood chips, chipped hardwood, and gravel.
Pro Tip: Bark mulch looks great in landscapes and decomposes more slowly than shredded wood, but it is also more prone to being washed away by rain.
Rock gardens are durable and low-maintenance elements to include in landscape design. The fact that pebbles, gravel, and other rock types can be used as mulch also makes this landscaping element a cost-effective choice.
Planning to spruce up your commercial space with rock and much? Here are a few ideas you can try:
Rock mulch can double as attractive and functional walkways. Not only does it add visual interest, but it also helps your clients find their way around your commercial property.
Are you looking to decorate with rocks? Rock beds can spruce up your al fresco dining areas and hotel grounds. Just remember to use the variety of colours available for pebbles to ensure they complement your outdoor landscaping.
If you’re planning to adorn your commercial landscape with garden beds, pebble mulch can serve as borders to create structure. This also makes it easier to adapt the shape and size of these landscape elements while keeping them weed-free.
Rock mulch is one of the easiest to maintain among the different types of mulches, making it an excellent choice for low-maintenance areas. Boulders can also be used in sloped parts of the lot to prevent soil erosion and improve water retention.
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Mulch application entails more than spreading organic or inorganic material over soil. It requires thorough planning and preparation and the experience and skill of commercial landscape maintenance experts.
Here, we discuss the best ways to apply mulch to get maximum benefit, so you can check whether your contractor performs the job properly.
In general, most types of mulch must be applied with two to three inches of depth. The only exception is grass clippings which should only be one to two inches thick.
Never build mulch “volcanoes,” especially around trees and shrubs, as they make the plants susceptible to infections. Instead, make sure the area around the base of trees and large plants is open by a few inches.
While mulching can be done anytime, your landscape will benefit most from it prior to the hot summer months and just before the colder winter days arrive.
Mulch can also be reapplied annually or every 3 years, depending on the type of mulch used.
Mulching offers countless benefits for commercial landscapes, particularly hotels, resorts, and restaurants. From keeping plants healthy and saving water to preventing weeds and soil erosion, proper mulching can help you make the most of your commercial landscaping.
Need help maintaining your landscape? Our team at Planters is always ready to provide reliable landscape maintenance services adapted to your specific needs.
