Now that the weather has shown a slight break in the freezing temperatures, and the sun has even peeked out a bit, it is time to start thinking about spring time activities. This is the perfect time of year to get a head start on all of your spring cleaning, landscaping, gardening, DIY home improvement projects.
The sooner you start with your planning, the better you plan because you will be able to predict any major obstacles and make sure that you have a plan in place to get past them.
This is especially true for you outdoor landscaping care because the more time that you have to plan and fortify your plants, shrubs, and trees – the better they will fair against the harsh temperatures of the summer months.
While trees and plants need both water and sunshine in order to grow and be healthy, sometimes too much sunshine can be very damaging – especially direct sunlight. In fact, some trees are very vulnerable to direct sunlight because the sunlight will cause the moisture in the soil to evaporate, leaving the tree thirsty and withering.
Mulch is a very important element to add to newly planted or re-located trees and, there are many benefits to adding mulch:
- Mulch acts as an insulator to the soil and will help to buffer the extreme temperatures from damaging the vulnerable roots of the tree.
- Mulch will act as a sponge and retain water so the fragile roots have a ready source of moisture for maximum growth and foundation.
- Mulch will protect the area around the base of your tree from weed growth, which eliminates any competition that the roots might have for food and water.
- Mulch keeps the soil healthy and prevents the soil from compacting.
- When the spring time arrives and it is time to start mowing your lawn again, the mulch will help to reduce the amount of lawn mower damage that the base and the roots of your tree sustain.
If you are planning on having any trees planted this time of year or even having some trees moved from their current location to a new location in your yard, you should consider adding a healthy layer of mulch to the ground around the base of the tree.