Winter Mulch

Winter mulch insulates shrubs and flowers from severe temperatures and frost heaves. Repeated cycles of nightly freezing and daily thawing can heave small or shallow rooted plants out of the soil, leaving their root systems exposed. Apply winter mulch after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest temperatures arrive. In the Spring mulched soils will warm up more slowly protecting plants from sprouting before the last frost. If you applying your winter mulch before the ground has frozen:

• The soil will stay warmer, longer, confusing your plants.
• The soil may not freeze as deeply preventing some plants from becoming dormant during a mild winter.
  
• You may inadvertently attract rodents looking for a warm over-wintering site.
  

Winter mulch should be loose material such as straw, hay, or pine boughs that will insulate the plants without compacting under the weight of snow and ice. Remember to leave an inch or so of space around plants to help prevent diseases flourishing from excessive humidity. Be sure to remove weeds before spreading mulch

Pine needles are a good mulch for acid-loving plants (Rhododendron, Azalea, Strawberries, Hydrangea if you want more blue). Pine needles last a long time and don’t compact easily under snow and ice. Gloves are recommended to avoid the pointy needles and pine sap.

Grass/Lawn clippings should be just 2-3” thick as it can compact and rot (slimy and smelly). Avoid lawn clippings with herbicide. Spread clippings immediately to avoid heating and rotting (more slime and odor).

Leafmold will be written about in an upcoming blog entry about raking

Compost can be spread 3-4” deep. It is excellent material which will enrich your soil.

Leaves can be applied 3-4” deep. Best to chop dry leaves with a lawnmower or shredder in the fall and compost before spreading. Whole leaves will compact if wet or blow away if dry. Chopping will reduce the volume and facilitate composting. Also, see upcoming Blog entry about raking.

Bark chips, wood chips, or composted bark can be spread 2-3” thick. Smaller chips are easier to spread, especially around small plants. Excellent for use around trees, shrubs, and perennial gardens.When spreading mulch around trees, keep the mulch an inch or two away from the trunk.

Bark mulches are usually made from the by-products of pine, cypress, or hardwood logs. Most common are shredded bark and bark chunks. Bark mulches resist compaction, and will not blow away.. Some shredded barks, such as cypress, decompose slowly. Bark chunks (also called nuggets or decorative bark) decompose most slowly but do tend to wash away.

Wood chips can be gathered inexpensively from your town or utility company for little or no cost. They make an excellent mulch that resists compaction, stays put, and weathers to a nice gray. Warning, these can contain seeds from trees and other plants that can sprout and create weed problems, and attract pests.

Straw makes a good winter mulch. It is inexpensive, suppresses weeds, conserves moisture, and insulates well. On the other hand, it is not very attractive, may contain crop seeds, and is extremely flammable. It is important to purchase "straw" rather than "hay," as hay contains many weed seeds. Mulch 6 to 8 inches deep.

Use a Permanent Mulch wherever you want year-round mulch that doesn't have to be disturbed (along paths, around trees and shrubs). Permanent mulches still need to be replenished annually. Keep the depths less than 4 inches.

“A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil;
but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls
and small, silly presents every so often
- just to save it from drying out completely.”

by Pam Brown