Mulch is an important addition to any garden that provides your trees and shrubs with insulation, root protection, and improved moisture retention. Many homeowners in the Twin Cities area prefer to lay down mulch in late spring or early summer, after the snow has melted and the thunderstorms have become less frequent. However, there’s a strong case to be made for mulching your landscape gardens during the fall. Continue reading to learn how adding a fresh layer of mulch to your landscape before the onset of winter can be beneficial.
6 Reasons to Consider Laying Down Landscape Mulch in Fall
- Insulation for Roots
Think of mulch as a warm blanket that you lay over the base of your plants to keep the roots from getting too cold. Mulching your gardens in fall is a wise move because winter is when the roots of your shrubs and trees are in most dire need of insulation to protect them from the cold weather and freeze-thaw cycle. If you applied mulch to your landscape in spring, a lot of it may have been stripped away by wind and rain come fall, leaving your roots vulnerable to subzero temperatures that are common in the Twin Cities during winter.
- Erosion Prevention
Another important function of garden mulch is to reduce soil erosion caused by rain, wind, and snow. This becomes especially important during late fall and winter when ground cover plants have died back, leaving the soil more exposed. By mulching your landscape during the fall, you can minimize how much soil gets stripped away during the coming months, making it easier for your plants to survive their winter dormancy.
- Moisture Retention
One of the main purposes of mulch is to retain soil in the moisture so plant roots can drink their fill during dry periods. While this can be useful in spring to prepare trees and shrubs for the high heat of summer, it can be equally beneficial to lay down mulch in fall in the Twin Cities. Fall mulching prepares landscape plants for the cold and dry winter months, keeping them well-hydrated as they enter their dormant period so they can rebound quickly next spring.
- Shield Against Freeze-Thaw
Minnesota winters come with many freeze-thaw cycles which can be perilous for plants, even those well-adapted to our cold climate. The freeze-thaw cycle can cause severe damage to unprotected roots as well as “frost heaving,” a swell in the soil that may push smaller plants out of the ground, killing them. A thick layer of mulch will maintain a consistent soil temperature and minimize fluctuations, protecting plant roots from the freeze-thaw cycle. By mulching in fall, you can make sure your perennials have the defense they need before the ground freezes.
- Weed Prevention
Nobody enjoys having to pluck hundreds of garden weeds as soon as spring arrives; mulching your landscape during fall in the Twin Cities can actually prevent you from having to do this. Mulch creates a physical barrier and also blocks sunlight from the soil, making it much harder for common landscape weeds to grow. Because of this, mulching your landscape in fall is a smart method of preemptive weed control.
- Fertilizes the Soil
If you use an organic mulch for your landscape, as opposed to one that is purely decorative, it can come with another benefit: fertilizing your garden soil. Adding organic mulch to your landscape during the fall is a good idea because that mulch will break down during winter, contributing nutrients to the soil beneath it. When spring comes, plant roots will absorb these nutrients, helping them to quickly bounce back to a healthy state of growth after awakening from the winter dormancy.
Experienced Outdoor Maintenance Company in the Twin Cities
If you’d like to have a layer of mulch added to your landscape this fall, leave the hard work to a local outdoor maintenance company. Reach out to Ground One today if you’re interested in our landscape mulching services in the greater Twin Cities metro area!