Ludden also recommends mulching when planting a shrub border. “I would put shredded bark mulch down because it keeps moisture in the soil and prevents weeds, and it looks neat and tidy,” she says, noting that the shrubs don’t propagate themselves the way perennials do, so you’re not preventing growth. Mulching around trees and shrubs also reduces the likelihood that someone will run a lawnmower over their roots, but even better would be to plant a soft landing.
If mulching woody plants or trees, use arborists wood chips and be sure not to let the mulch cover any of the bark: The root flare at the base of the trees should always remain exposed. If you have existing mulch volcanoes, remove them (arborist Basil Camu of Leaf & Limb explains how in this video).
Vegetable gardeners may also want to mulch, says Ludden, especially if it’s something that you can till into the soil along with whatever is left of the plants at the end of the season.
Finally, McMackin says you can use mulch when you want to shift the soil composition. For example, if the soil is too basic, you might add pine mulch. “The change is not very serious, but it will start those processes,” explains McMackin, who says to think of mulch as an amendment you’re applying to the top, with the understanding that it’s going to be integrated and building soil in the future.
What are alternatives to mulching?
If you’re worried about weeds, plant more densely. Instead of maintaining a sea of mulch with plants in it, position the plants more closely together and let them naturally grow towards each other. For anyone worried about maintaining air flow, McMackin says, “That just wouldn’t happen in the natural world.” She notes that what is more important is to maintain healthy soil. In Garden Revolution, Weaner and Christopher note that you should also think about varied below-ground growth habits to inhibit weeds. And yes, you may have some weeds. “Weeding and watering are important in the first season or two until the perennials begin to fill in,” notes Ludden. “As plants expand naturally, and even seed themselves into open areas, weeds become less problematic.” (See The Garden Decoder: What Is ‘Cramscaping’? (And Why Is this Trend Here to Stay?)
You can also plant a “green mulch” or groundcover. Ludden has had success using Canadian wild ginger, ferns, and carexes, including Carex Appalachia and Carex pensylvanica as soft underplantings between larger perennials.
You can also mulch with clippings. McMackin suggests mulching with the plant matter from the previous season, noting, “[Plants] really want to be in a mulch made up of their own leaves and stems.” Diblik describes using a similar method in The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden, noting that, “The litter is in much bigger pieces than if it were mowed, so we cut some of the stems into smaller pieces, so that they’ll fit comfortably around the plants.” He adds, “I must admit, the first time I did this it was difficult not to run for the rake.”
If you still feel the need to mulch, all the experts recommend swapping bark mulch for a local leaf mulch or compost. Leaf mulch or compost can provide the “neat” look that you may prefer without inhibiting the growth of perennials.
Another solution is to give your garden beds a mullet. When working in Brooklyn Bridge Park, McMackin and her team used a neat-in-front-wild-in-the-back look, which she calls a “mullet” approach to mulching. “We would rake out leaves in the first foot or two of the garden and then put a clean edge of mulch. Then you can get away with a wilder look in the back, if you do that.” If you can’t see yourself quitting mulch, don’t let it get too deep. McMackin says an inch or an inch and a half is all you should ever need.
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