Healthy Plants Prefer Mulch

Provides Numerous Benefits to the Garden, Expert Says

Submitted by Sue Markgraf, GreenMark Media

As you get in the full swing of spring, consider adding a 1½- to 2-inch layer of mulch to your garden beds and around your trees and shrubs.

Sue Ryba, horticulturist at Bertog Landscape Co., in Wheeling, Ill., says adding leaf mulch or shredded hardwood bark mulch to garden beds is important for its many plant health benefits.

"Mulch is literally a security blanket," she says. "It shades soil as it maintains a consistent temperature that keeps plant roots cool in summer and protects them from frigid cold in winter."

As mulch breaks down, nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, nitrogen and potassium enrich the soil and feed plant roots.

"The bulk of shredded hardwood bark makes it a good choice for preventing weeds," Ryba says. "And it's shredded, so it will stay put. Leaf mulch is lightweight. It breaks down quickly and adds organic matter back to the soil. Leaf mulch is also a good choice for weed control. Use it around shrubs and trees, in perennial beds and in your vegetable garden."

By adding nutrients to the soil as it breaks down, mulch supports vibrant root systems. Mulch absorbs water. It provides air circulation around the base of the plant and prevents moisture loss on dry, windy days.

Ryba says adding mulch to garden beds is a lot like frosting on a cake - it adds an elegant finishing touch to garden beds and landscapes, creating an aesthetic backdrop for perennials, trees and shrubs.

"Your garden will likely reward you with vitality, color and beauty throughout the growing season," she says.

For information about mulch and its plant health benefits, contact Bertog Landscape Co. by visiting the website at www.bertoglandscape.com. Bertog is also on Facebook and Instagram.

Bertog Landscape Co. is a full-service landscape design, landscape construction and landscape maintenance firm in Wheeling, Illinois. The company's suite of services also includes commercial snow plowing and removal, irrigation and low-voltage lighting installation.