Mulching: The Ultimate Summer and Winter Garden Solution

As summer approaches, it's crucial to take extra care of your garden, especially during heat waves. One of the easiest ways to help your plants stay hydrated and healthy is by adding mulch. Not only does mulch conserve soil moisture and reduce watering needs, but it also provides a host of other benefits that promote plant growth and protection. In this blog post, we'll explore the various benefits of summer and winter mulching and the types of mulch you can use.

Summer Mulching

As the temperatures soar, your plants start to struggle to stay hydrated. By adding mulch to your garden, you can help conserve soil moisture, reduce surface evaporation, and cool soil temperatures. This, in turn, can cut down on watering needs by up to 45 percent. Furthermore, the protective layer from mulch shields and feeds the good bacteria in the soil, promoting disease and pest resistance, and leading to prolific plant growth. Mulch also helps cut down on weeds, prevent compaction, and prevent soil erosion.

If you're interested in adding mulch to your current garden beds or need a top-up, you can consider using Fiddler's Green Landscaping for their mulching services. Their experienced team of landscapers can help you choose the right type of mulch and provide professional mulching services that can save you time and effort.

Winter Mulching

Mulching during the fall and winter months can also offer significant benefits for your garden. In Calgary, where winter Chinooks can cause soil heaving and plant die-back, winter mulching can help keep the ground frozen, preventing soil heaving and keeping the plants in a dormant state. This also shelters the roots and plant base from extreme winds and other weather conditions during the winter. Mulching during the winter also retains moisture in the soil, which is important when the soil warms up during a warm period, and moisture is available for the roots. Additionally, mulch provides a layer of insulation for tender shrubs and perennials, which can help them survive the harsh winter.

Fiddler's Green Landscaping offers a range of winter landscaping services, including mulching. By entrusting your winter mulching needs to them, you can rest assured that your plants will be protected throughout the winter months, and you can look forward to a thriving garden come springtime.

Types of Mulch

There are several types of mulch to choose from, and each has its unique benefits. Some common mulch types include:

Foothills Premium Mulch: 

This mulch is a blend of finely shredded spruce, pine, and fir trees, making it an excellent option for moisture retention and soil insulation. Fiddler's Green Landscaping recommends this mulch for its superior performance in Calgary's climate.

Cedar Mulch: 

Cedar mulch is a popular option due to its attractive reddish-brown color and natural insect-repelling properties. It's also long-lasting and helps prevent weed growth.

In conclusion, mulching is an easy and effective way to promote healthy plant growth and protect your garden from the harsh summer and winter conditions. By reducing watering needs, preventing weed growth, and promoting disease and pest resistance, mulching can save you time, effort, and money in the long run. With several mulch types available, you can choose the best option that fits your garden's needs. Consider using Fiddler's Green Landscaping for your mulching needs this summer and winter, and watch your plants thrive!