Tag Archives: mulch

Mulch can help your plants beat the Heat

During the warmer months it is very important that your landscape plants stay hydrated and a great way to help them stay healthy and vibrant in the heat is by adding mulch to the beds. Not only is this a great option for keeping your plants perky, applying mulch is also a sustainable step that is scientifically proven to save water. To break it down a bit further, one layer of mulch will help plants retain moisture in the root zone and it will slow evaporation. And there are a few more benefits that come from adding mulch to your beds such as helping to control weeds.

If you are having difficulty figuring out what to use as mulch, here are a few options:

  • Grass clippings -  one of the most sustainable mulches available and you can recycle them from your own property
  • Rock – is very durable mulch and will not blow away
  • Bark Chip – cooler than rook but will have to be replaced each year or two depending on the chip size
  • Gorilla hair – great for high wind areas, gorilla hair is a woven, textured product that will decompose over time
  • Aspen fines – can be a local, recycled product and looks very nice around plants

Need a better more beautiful solution for your Denver area home landscape? Contact Lifescape Associates in Denver. We’ll be happy to get your landscape looking its best all year round.

Source: ALCC
Photo Credit: hearthcricket.com

Recycling Christmas Trees in Colorado

For anyone who’s invested in a real Christmas tree this season, it can be a hassle trying to figure out how to dispose of it. In years past, it was the norm to just toss used trees out on the curbside with the rest of the week’s trash. But today, more environmentally conscious citizens look for sustainable ways to preserve Christmas trees.

According to Colorado’s Recycle Your Christmas Tree, 93 percent of real Christmas trees are recycled through community programs. Interested in recycling your tree? Here are two things to keep in mind:

1. Know that some recyclers are selective about what types of trees they’ll accept. If you plan to recycle, try keeping your tree in the same condition it was in when you purchased it. Lights, ornaments, wire and other accessory-related items should always be removed from the tree prior to recycling.

2. Christmas trees are biodegradable, so recycling them is great for the environment. The tree bark is converted into mulch or wood chips, which are then used to support local parks, hiking trails, walkways and flower beds. So before you think about throwing your tree out for good, consider the environmental benefits of recycling it instead.

For more information about recycling your Christmas tree in Colorado, keep checking the Recycle Your Christmas website as well as the Colorado Recycles website.

Photo courtesy of Southern Living

Did you know Mulch is an insulator?

You may not know it, but mulch during the cold winter months acts as an insulator for your plants. With the wide range of temperature swings that plants are subjected to, it’s important to have mulch to protect your plants in the cold weather. It’s a fact that sometimes it is not the cold temperatures that damage your plants, but the freezing and thawing of the soil that affects the plant. The freezing and thawing cycle can cause the plant to “heave”, or the plant could die from lack of moisture because it can not attain water through the frozen soil. The best thing to do when you are unsure about what plants to use in your garden is consult your landscaping architect.

It’s best to apply a thick layer of mulch over the soil so that the plants roots will be insulated.  Mulch can also prevent the soil around your plants from cooling too quickly also, however, you probably want to rake it away from the plants come spring when it starts to get warm.

If you need help figuring out the best plan for your Colorado landscaping, contact Lifescape Associates.

Photo: qwickstep.com

The Importance of Mulch

If you are wondering if you need to have mulch around your tree and plant beds, the answer is yes.

It only benefits you to have mulch surrounding your tree and plant beds because it will prevent weeds from growing, retain moisture and aid in protecting the tree trunks from damage.

Here’s a tip: For the best results, make sure you maintain the mulch depth of approximately three inches. And in order to prevent mold growth and rot, have a small gap around your tree trunks and plants.

Recycle your Landscaping Waste

When your or your landscape architect are outside working in the yard, there is the potential for a large amount of waste. Most people don’t understand that the projects they take on in the yard, can produce so much waste. But before you toss those branches, grass clippings, and other random debris into the trash, seriously consider an eco-friendly way to dispose of or reuse that waste.

For example, did you know that you could rent a shredder to turn yard waste into mulch? You can also use those lawn clippings on your back lawn as a fertilizer. A second idea is to make a compost pile. There are more options now for compost containers that are meant to look attractive in your yard.

Remember, reusing and re purposing your landscaping waste is always the better option for you, your yard and the environment.

Photo: www.edcodisposal.com