Mulch is essential for garden beds to retain moisture, suppress weeds and moderate soil temperature. But using the wrong type can cause harm.

If you have a compost pile where you put grass clippings, leaves and weeds that have not gone to seed, you have a supply of your own mulch to apply to shrub and flower beds. You can also purchase ...

Compost is costly, I can’t deny it. It’s also been in short supply as more of us are tending our gardens and nurturing our soil. Bark, on the other hand, is relatively cheap and plentiful. If compost ...

This is the last in a series of articles featuring topics covered in Linda Chalker-Scott’s book, “The Informed Gardener.” All of her science-based information was initially intended for the use of ...

For 17 years, we’ve been using pine bark mulch on our own gardens and show beds, while mulch fads came and went. Dyed red wood chips, cypress, dyed shredded rubber and dyed black wood chips have come ...

For more than 20 years we’ve been using pine bark mulch on our own gardens, while mulch fads came and went. Dyed redwood chips, cypress, dyed shredded rubber and dyed black wood chips have come into ...

There I was, staring at my own private Bandini Mountain, 2 units of garden mulch that extended from our driveway across the sidewalk and almost to the street. I loaded the wheelbarrow a couple of ...

Bark is a compilation of dead cells that are gradually sloughed off as the trunk grows in diameter. It is formed by an amazing, thin layer of cells known as the vascular cambium. Outer bark — the part ...

When you look at your garden beds and borders, do you see any bare soil? If so, mulch is in order. Mulch is defined as a protective layer applied over soil to retain moisture, suppress weeds and ...