Make your plants healthy and happy (and your life easier) by choosing the best mulch for your landscape. The right mulch will help your plants and trees stay healthy by retaining soil moisture and ...

Do you utilize mulch in the garden? If you do, that’s great! If you don’t, you should consider adding mulch to the garden, as there are many benefits. Benefits of mulch include preserving moisture, ...

I recently was asked about organic mulches and their importance. While searching for different types, I came across information from Iowa State University that will answer that question. Organic ...

Mulch can be a multitasking helper in the garden, something that smothers weeds, insulates plants from cold temperatures and prevents soil erosion. Used the wrong way, though, mulch can foster ...

Mulch is essential to efficient gardening in our climate. The covering insulates the soil from the air, which reduces the evaporation of moisture. In addition to making water go further, mulch keeps ...

Q: I'm thinking about trying cocoa bean mulch in the garden this year. Do you like it or recommend it? A: No and no. Most people are attracted by the chocolately scent, but that lasts about 2 days ...

When the weather is as dry as it has been in Eastern Iowa, mulch is an essential. Here's hoping for rain; when mulch can be equally important. Linn County Master Gardener, Lisa Slattery, shares the ...

Q. Should a weed barrier be used beneath cocoa bean shell mulch? A. Avoid using weed barrier under cocoa bean, wood chips and any other organic mulch. As these mulches decompose they form compost, ...

Shredded native tree-trimmings mulch (also called arborist wood chips) are the best choice for your plants. Having a canine helper like Nellie is optional.(Howard Garrett / Special Contributor) The ...