10 Benefits of Mulch

[@dia9491]

Our soil was so compact when I first started watching your channel. We didn’t even have worms in some areas. I’ve been working to help our soil and in a short time, if we dig, there are worms everywhere. I realized taking care of the worms is helping our plants. It’s such a joy to see them.

[@JimPutnam]

That's awesome!

[@kso808]

Mulching is one of the most invaluable pieces of advice I have picked up from you this past year. Between mulching and using only organic fertilizers, I have noticed an improvement in my shrubs and plants where I have mulched. I never knew directly about soil improvement until I discovered your channel! 👍

[@annebuchanan3200]

As usual, very helpful. The point of the crusty layer is very timely for me. We used compost as the mulch and I noticed it was looking crusty since we haven’t had much rain. I thought I should rake it lightly to stir it, so I’m glad I didn’t. It makes the garden look dry but I keep saying do a finger test to see what’s going on lower.

[@zoreslavazinczenko1060]

Super great information and video, Jim & Steph! I've been improving my daughter's flowerbeds over the course of 3 years, and HOORAY!! We got worms!!!!! (also a higher population of robins...)

[@jcking6785]

I love the look of fresh mulch (the natural kind, not the colored stuff). It’s so satisfying and is to plants what a frame is to a picture. Excellent explanation on how mulches improve soil, something I dare say all of us need to do. 💚

[@laurawiller9041]

Great summary of the benefits of mulch! The only thing I wish you had addressed is the problem of OVER mulching. It’s generally landscaping crews rather than homeowners who will throw down 6 or more inches of mulch. This can cause all kinds of problems like preventing water from getting to roots and rot around the base of plants.

[@katherineapplegate5895]

Out plant shopping wearing my new purple -aceae Jim Putnam shirt!! Love your channel. 😊

[@michelelara5982]

Yes Jim, thanks for your advice and tips. Mulch is inexpensive and makes the biggest impact. I stopped following other channels because all they want to do is promote and sell a specific brand plants and fertilizers. It gets very old fast. You give us the basic “old school” knowledge that I appreciate. Thank you!

[@MultimediaIreland]

I walk in the woods in Autumn, and Spring. I came to the conclusion that mulching in Autumn is nature's way, mulching occurs every season in nature, that's what we're doing as gardeners, we're bringing that natural ecology to our living environs, so it seems very antithetical to want a permanent solution to a living ecology.

[@loriledner6528]

You’ve taught me so much about gardening. Thank you Jim and Steph !!

[@betsymaltby6788]

We have been amending our clay soil for years, this video was spot on! Question: I ordered way too much Coconut Coir that I use to create a substrate for my indoor houseplants, can I use it to create a weed barrier for a dedicated "cut flower" Garden? I think it will cut down on the weeds, but does it add any benefit to the soil? Will I have to scrape it off at the end of the season? TIA. PS: Love your content.

[@terryrowe8214]

I would love to use the shredded mulch. But the artillery fungus that usually develops in the mulch stops me from doing so. I have a light tan house. I don’t want those tarry spores ruining my siding.

[@suzetteccc]

Thanks for the video Jim. I'm up here in Vancouver BC and apart from leaving leaves on the beds, (some Magnolia leaves I end up making leaf mould with because they take forever to break down) I have never put mulch down except for a new layer of soil. This year we had a massive Fir stump ground up and I have spread it over the bed in the property and will start the new bed with it on. Wow, it looks good and 🤞🏼 it will do all they things you mentioned. I doubt I'll do it twice a year, but once is a whole lot better than never. I'm sharing this with my husband so maybe he'll get enthused!😉 Btw, do you have a video on all those pretty chartreuse shrubs? I have enough conifers around me, so I really like the leafy ones....Cheers!

[@thatlittlevoice8292]

We put wood chips in the garden after one of jims videos last summer. The first unexpected benefit that i noticed was that my shoes track less mud. Im honestly surprised that this didnt make the top 10 list. Can it reduce the spread of disease?

[@BCole83]

Jim, how do you prevent or deal with the mulch turning hydrophobic? Is that less of an issue for you because you use a thin layer of mulch or do you still have to worry about that?

[@solsticesummer982]

Youre videos are always educational and timely. Great information! Being in NC I feel very fortunate to have a zone specific and also general instruction weekly!! I appreciate you guys!

[@dianeleavitt7947]

Great info...just a heads up to keep mulch that has been placed close to your house damp. The mulch we had laid beside our 100 yr old stone Tudor caught fire from the heat. No damage but very scary! We do not mulch that area now.

[@mollypitcher9380]

Sounds like a beautiful house!🌸

[@Lynnpaperweight]

New subscriber...your knowledge is very helpful! I have a question, please. Here in central Georgia, many people use pine straw as mulch. We are all plentiful with pine trees everywhere. My new home will have young pine trees in the front, even though they will be thinned out a good bit. Is pine straw a GOOD mulch to use?

[@lukerobson4962]

Nature is like a modest woman. If you don't cover her bare spots, she will do it for you. (Weeds, etc )

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thanks Jim and Stephany. 🌷💚🙃 Now all I have to do is try and convince the hubby that it’s money worth spending. 🌷💚🙃

[@denko44]

It doesn't have to cost alot. You can get plenty with chip drop for free. Use leaves, grass clippings. Pine needles, cones, & other yard waste. Now if you want it to look pretty, you'll probably have to buy mulch.

[@JimPutnam]

💯!

[@lindaga820]

Thanks Jim and Steph, totally agree on the many benefits of mulching !

[@BossMan_Jerm]

Can you just add on top of pine bark mulch? Or do you have to remove the old mulch

[@juliabinford6500]

I mulched with arborist chips for the first time this Spring, due to your emphasis on mulch. I’m also checking soil moisture before I water, which has reduced my watering so far. Thanks!!

[@TheAggressers]

As I grow , along with my soil, I just have to say ... Love this content of knowledge thanks for sharing because any one can tell you care!

[@passepartoot]

Whenever I dig here in Chesapeake, I ALWAYS unearth 2-3 beetle grubs. The robins and bluebirds wait for me to toss them onto the street to feed them.

[@mollypitcher9380]

I put them in my birdbaths.🌸

[@MEM1216]

Hi Jim! Do you treat grubs with milky spores?

[@aok2727]

Wood chips and organic mulch is so effective for soil improvement. I am delighted you are not using “weed barrier”. I just wish that would stop being used at all. I have a lot of pine straw.

[@sweettee4501]

Hello there! I just planted 13 green gaint ( less than 1 gallon) and I put mulch around them and water the next day I have alot of insects jumping or flying around so what should I use to get rid of them (Zebulon NC)

[@timgarner1957]

Thanks for the very interesting and informative episode! I enjoy how you explain everything in simple layman terms..

[@bijoubijou7500]

Question - Is the idea to throw new much on top of the old? In the past I have just put new cedar mulch on top of the old, but wondered if I was doing something wrong. FYI - I am a relatively new homeowner in Wilson, NC. Thank you for the great content!

[@GardenKath]

In December I moved to the first house place I’ve ever lived that has sandy soil. I’ve gardened in clay or rocks my whole life, and let me tell you, this is a whole new world! Digging is a piece of cake, but I’m constantly thinking about nutrient retention. I’ve been mulching a little bit at a time for about a month now. 😅

[@brendahunt7478]

Hello

[@JimPutnam]

Good morning!

[@drummereef]

Hey now, grubs are super important... They help feed the moles! 😂

[@mariestoner7533]

Here in southern Georgia, many of us use pine needles. Pros and cons?

[@corneliusg.3353]

I hate pine needles so ugly

[@cindybradley3543]

What if I have gotton mulch that has mold on it? Should I go ahead and use it anyway?

[@willaerley7140]

Is it true that mulch near the house can spread black mold onto the siding?

[@Burrmajesty]

Where do you find the triple shredded at? I can’t seem to find anywhere near me

[@krystalynnx]

That grub in the first part of the video is a paid actor.

[@NINA-tz8ug]

13:21 what is that tall plant next to you its gorgeous

[@rachelsgarden]

This is a fantastic video! And I love reading the comments just as much as watching. You’ve built a great community of followers who ask great questions & share helpful, relatable experiences.

[@julieh2935]

This is so helpful, thank you! Question for your Sunday videos: Would you recommend any remedies besides lifting/replanting a Carolina Midnight loropetalem shrub if you thought that it wasn’t growing well due to soil compaction? It’s in a sandy-clay soil, but hasn’t put on much growth in a couple of years. Or should I keep treating from the top (I’ve done Plant Tone and mulch)? (Zone 8b, N. central FL, full sun well-draining spot, water retention is pretty good in its spot) Thanks!

[@kathbiddle-dutton7069]

Hi ..thanks for all your advice with all your videos… can you share any bag mulch recommendations…appreciate 👍

[@thatlittlevoice8292]

6:39 big cloud of steam in 3 .. 2 ..

[@wayneholt877]

I've heard you talk about hardwood mulch around shrubs and pine bark around annuals. My beds are long and narrow (drive, etc) so annuals are planted around shrubs, etc. Recommendation?

[@Nature-Is-My-Home]

Another great video. Especially liked your tip on putting wood chips down on an area that I will eventually landscape, especially because I can get it free!

[@DonnaEscue]

Why does mulch smell?

[@GardeningSpirit]

Great video!! I am so jealous of your hydrangeas- already with blooms!

[@rosiesingleton6480]

Jim, do you ever use compost in your garden beds - or just keep reapplying mulch yearly ?

[@judymiddleswart9350]

So very tue!! Thanks for sharing your advice to us all!!!❤

[@taylorswf23]

I’m sold. We mulched last year but didnt get quite enough to cover to the bed edge. Very few weeds where we mulched. Weed city at the bed edge.

[@georgemichaels3rdnut]

What the mulch was like steaming after you said it was composting that is so wild.

[@brandytimpleton5618]

Can u explain red dyed bark why not as gud as the brown or black

[@carlyrn2005]

Great video again! Where do you get the truck loads of mulch like that?

[@donnajoy6951]

This is the Best ❤ Best video- thanks from North Texas!

[@Sindri27]

We have 3 maybe 4 inches of cypress blend mulch in my rose bed but grass still makes shoots and travels up into the bed. Now my bed is full of it. I was hoping the mulch would prevent that. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of all the grass. My garden bed has roses and other flowers in it. I can't keep up with pulling it out.

[@SandraHall-g4s]

it sounds like your grass is traveling into your bed with rhizomes. You have to dig out the whole root, or it will spring back to life. That is all that I know, but perhaps Jim or Stephanie know another way to get rid of it.

[@andreahorsch286]

We have winecap mushrooms in some of our mulch, so double bonus

[@bxr9264]

Ok....have you bugged my house?😂

[@mikeymopar1171]

In my neck of the woods we call that a coal shovel

[@JHG123]

What company would you recommend to buy earthworms for a red clay soil garden?

[@eleanoraddy4683]

Lay the mulch and the worms will turn up. You can't improve soil with worms. If there's no worms it means there's no worm food. Just lay down as much compost and mulch as you can, they'll move right in!

[@karinhamann5019]

The garden is looking really great!

[@Rusticpixel]

Great video, thanks!

[@nataliaubaldo4495]

Is wood chips good mulch?

[@TicTacMI]

I’ve definitely become more aware of my mulching practices since viewing your videos on it-this year I had a big bulk delivery of triple-shredded cedar and I couldn’t be happier. I put it down much earlier than I normally would (a lot of people in my area wait until June-ish), and I can already tell it’s going to help a lot with weed control and water retention 🤗

[@glodavhog]

what is that fern looking bush behind you. thank you, great video

[@JimPutnam]

Bronze fennel

[@glodavhog]

@@JimPutnam thank you

[@melissamybubbles6139]

Unfortunately we have very compact new construction clay and my dad put down weed barrier. The mulch can't break down into the soil. Of course, I'm not sure how much it would do that in Colorado anyway given how dry it is here. In the spots where we do have soil exposed, do I need to water overhead to get the mulch to break down? We keep having plants die. I'm not sure how much of that is soil health, how much is that the landscaper put shade plants in sun, and how much is possible problems with the drip system.

[@robintranchina6588]

Melissa, I too have a new construction house where the landscaper clearly did not know what he was doing. I dig up all the plants they planted and put my own plants in. I also put down cardboard and put pine bark mini nuggets, compost and mini nuggets on top; can find tipple shredded mulch where I live. It’s a slow process, because I’m 67 and also expensive. We moved into our new house in October 2022 (zone 8b, Foley, AL). I’ve put in two new gardens as well as redoing my front landscape. So far, so good! I have used Chip Drop in the past at my old house; you might try that for mulch.

[@melissamybubbles6139]

@@robintranchina6588 Yeah. I'm in the process of replacing plants. I do the yardwork for my parents so I have some sway but not final say. I did influence them towards some native plants today. If they don't live I don't know what I'll do. I'm not sure if I need to improve the soil in between plants where the landscape fabric is. I guess it's not an option anyway.

[@rachelsgarden]

I have a new construction home as well. I also recently had my landscaper remove Bermuda for a privacy bed & he laid fabric without asking me. I removed the fabric and added a layer of compost across the bed. I’ve also been removing or relocating plants the builder installed. In my experience they either don’t dig a big enough hole (width) or they plant too deep in clay soil. The plants struggle to root in and slowly decline. The ones I’ve moved are now huge and thriving. I will break up the soil around the hole with my shovel mix in some garden soil & add mulch. If I had to do it again I would have put down wood chips waited 6 mo then started planting. Accelerates the process. My wood mulch breaks down where I plant heavily but not as much where things are spaced out.

[@melissamybubbles6139]

@@rachelsgarden Thank you. I don't think they dug big or deep enough holes here either. They also didn't amend the soil enough. I hope I didn't amend too much. Will the roots circle in the hole instead of reaching into the clay if the holes have a bunch of potting soil in them?

[@rachelsgarden]

@@melissamybubbles6139 if you’re clay is hard and compacted it’s possible for the roots to have a hard time penetrating/rooting out. It’s important to mix the supplements 50 50 with your clay soils. Jim has some great videos on planting in clay & weed fabric, which may be helpful.

[@Joylynnfrancis]

What’s your thoughts about cardboard under mulch? Thank you

[@HandcraftedintheFoothills]

He answered that on the Sunday q&a video this morning

[@Joylynnfrancis]

@@HandcraftedintheFoothills I missed it even though I listen twice.

[@craigsummerville8823]

At about the 2:30 mark what is that very tall, mature purple shrub (?) behind you?

[@HandcraftedintheFoothills]

A lorapetulum

[@craigsummerville8823]

@@HandcraftedintheFoothills That was my first thought but I’ve never seen one with leaves that large. I have a couple of lorapetalum varieties but the foliage is much smaller like the one that appears later in the video. Jim’s looks more like a dwarf redbud but I’m hoping he’ll respond with a confirmation.

[@anitahadley2871]

It’s definitely a loropetalum, he’s answered that question many times.

[@craigsummerville8823]

@@anitahadley2871 Thanks, Anita! Now I'm hoping he'll identify the variety. I've asked for the variety in one of his later weekly Q&A videos where he identified all of his "purple plants" except for that large loropetalum. Hope abounds.

[@mollypitcher9380]

Hi Jim! 1- I’ll try that finer mulch on my large garden on a hill. You’re right, The mulch does slide down over time ($). 2- I put a solid 4” of mulch down- looks good and saves me time. BUT good point of avoiding the spring chickweed.

[@dorindajenkins7825]

🙋

[@JimPutnam]

🙋‍♂️