The Importance of Mulching in Fall & Spring

With moderate temperatures and snow-free days, fall tends to be the perfect time for general lawn care maintenance in Northern Virginia. Mulching specifically remains one of the most important landscaping jobs of the season and is vital for the sustained health of your plantings as winter approaches. Without it, your plants would be exposed to the cold outside temperatures, limiting the chances of growth come springtime. The same applies to spring mulching, but instead, it works to protect your plants from the extreme heat that comes with summers in the area.

The role of mulching, however, extends even beyond general protection—but you’ll have to keep reading to learn more!

What Is Mulch?

Mulch is essentially used as a protective material comprised of things like straw, grass clippings, pea gravel, bark chips, and other similar materials. But while you can use materials like rocks and stones, it is recommended that you opt for organic mulch materials that decompose overtime, enriching your soil with valuable nutrients.

The mulching process, therefore, consists of spreading mulch on top of the exposed soil between your plants in 3 – 6 in. layers, effectively protecting them from external temperature changes while preserving the water in your soil. This works to feed the roots, promoting root growth and playing a major role in keeping your gardens, trees, and shrubs healthy as winter or summer approaches.

Benefits of Mulching

We’ve established that mulching is crucial to maintaining the health of your plants, lawn, shrubs, and trees—but how? More specific benefits of fall and spring mulching include its ability to:

Insulate the soil, protecting your plants from extreme heat or cold
Help plants retain water and keep roots moist, promoting growth
Help prevent weed growth
Help prevent soil compaction
Decrease erosion in the soil
Reduce any damage from the lawn mower
And more

For more benefits of mulching during these seasons, just ask one of our landscapers during your consultation!

Need Help with Mulching in Great Falls, Vienna, North Arlington, the City of Falls Church, or McLean?

Because fall mulching is so important to the general health of plantings in colder weather, it becomes a sought-after fall landscaping service that can get booked months in advance—so be sure to book early! In fact, most fall landscape maintenance jobs should be planned as early as the spring to guarantee the work you need. So NOW is the time to start booking your spring mulching jobs—and it’s the perfect time for plant installation work too so be sure to contact O’Grady’s Landscape today!