• Home
  • about emily
  • before + after
  • HGTV + DIY Network
  • good press
  • contact
  • Let’s Organize These Posts:

    • Art Attack
    • Backyard
    • Barn
    • Basement
    • Bathroom
    • Beach
    • Bedrooms
    • Being Thrifty
    • Business-y
    • Buying and Renting and Selling
    • Casual Celebrations
    • Closets
    • Curb Appeal
    • Dainty Details
    • Deck
    • Decor
    • Dining Room
    • DIY
    • Dog-Related
    • Entryway
    • Flooring
    • For the Kids
    • Garage
    • Gardening
    • Helping The Economy
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects
    • Holiday-Related Projects
    • Home Safety
    • Kitchen
    • Lighting
    • Living Room
    • Merry Travels
    • Office Space
    • Organized
    • Other Pads
    • Outdoor Living
    • Scooter Fun
    • Stairwell
    • Sunroom
    • Supporting Sponsors
    • The Art Room
    • Tools
    • Uncategorizable
    • Wedding
    • Windows
    • Work-pads
  • Search

  • Hi, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle.

    You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

  • BROWSE POSTS BY CATEGORY:

    • Art Attack (7)
    • Backyard (92)
    • Barn (8)
    • Basement (27)
    • Bathroom (43)
    • Beach (13)
    • Bedrooms (73)
    • Being Thrifty (53)
    • Business-y (12)
    • Buying and Renting and Selling (23)
    • Casual Celebrations (36)
    • Closets (17)
    • Curb Appeal (44)
    • Dainty Details (8)
    • Deck (23)
    • Decor (286)
    • Dining Room (37)
    • DIY (577)
    • Dog-Related (24)
    • Entryway (59)
    • Flooring (58)
    • For the Kids (32)
    • Garage (17)
    • Gardening (70)
    • Helping The Economy (30)
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects (283)
    • Holiday-Related Projects (80)
    • Home Safety (12)
    • Kitchen (83)
    • Lighting (31)
    • Living Room (77)
    • Merry Travels (21)
    • Office Space (21)
    • Organized (41)
    • Other Pads (14)
    • Outdoor Living (12)
    • Scooter Fun (8)
    • Stairwell (20)
    • Sunroom (22)
    • Supporting Sponsors (43)
    • The Art Room (3)
    • Tools (43)
    • Uncategorizable (1)
    • Wedding (28)
    • Windows (14)
    • Work-pads (10)
  • Search

  • Pages

    • blog
    • Merrypad Features
    • Privacy Policy
    • about emily
    • before + after
      • before + after, our current home
      • before + after, our first house
    • contact me
    • choose a badge and share the merrypad.com love
  • Home
  • about emily
  • before + after
  • HGTV + DIY Network
  • good press
  • contact

How To Shop For Mulch

March 7, 2016

This post was originally published on DIY Network’s blog Made + Remade in April 2013.

Last summer, I almost broke into a sweat deciding what type of mulch to use in our garden. Could there be more product decisions available these days (not to mention colors!). I’m checking in today to lay down some of the details I honed in on when selecting mulch.

Hopefully you’ll find something to help make your springtime gardening process a little bit more streamlined, and my, my, my, I’m sure when you’re done you’ll think your garden looks swell.

How to choose mulch for your landscape and garden.

Why quality matters:

You don’t have to invest in mulch every year? This was news to my ears. If you invest wisely, some natural mulch varieties are known to last for a second–and sometimes even a third!–season. And if you invest in stone, plastic underlayment, or rubber mulch, it can last even longer.

Organic mulches are worth considering for investment, as they actually enrich the soil while protecting it from erosion and limiting weed growth. Straw, pine needles, compost, and bark chips fall into this territory, as do the shredded hardwoods you see commonly dyed at most landscaping stops. Keep in mind that the organic mulches have a quicker rate of decay though, and may only last 1-2 seasons.

How it’s made affects how it’ll look long term:

I gravitate to the most natural looking shredded hardwoods, the coloring that looks most like freshly chipped wood that you know will dry and sun bleach itself into a respectful weathered hue by the second season. It has good drainage, so underlying roots still get plenty of moisture. (Also natural, did you know there was such a thing as cocoa mulch, and depending on your geography, did you know that seaweed was a viable source of garden groundcover?)

Lately I’ve been weighing the benefits of investing in a rubber mulch, because I’m seeing more and more varieties at home & garden shows that look very realistic. The price is what kills though, it’s often 3-5x more expensive per cubic yard. It would be a pricy investment upfront, but if it were proven to last (and not wash away, not deteriorate, and not discolor) over the course of, say, 5-6 years, it might be worthwhile.

How to pick color?

The mulch color you select for your yard is invariably dependent on your neighborhood and the exterior of your home. As I mentioned, I tend to invest in the most natural looking shades, a medium to dark brown, but that’s because I favor the palette to the gray exterior of my home. It also flows better with the earthy vibe of the homes in the neighborhood. Black seems like it would be a little harsh for my taste, and red, out of place against the gray, although some of my neighbors choose the shade and it looks great in their yards.

Where to buy?

Get a sense of your options at a local gardening center. The shops that specialize in landscaping services often have displays to showcase their varieties of pavers, shrubbery, and ground cover. Explore how different mulches work in different scenarios. If you’re going to buy bulk, the gardening centers have the capacity to fulfill your order at a great rate per yard, and deliver promptly.

Big box stores are good if you want to compare multiple products and multiple brands by price. Don’t forget to focus on volume of the bags too, they often vary from 0.8 cu. feet to 2 cu. feet. Bonus tip: Some stores have been known to discount price bags of mulch and topsoil that have been inadvertently torn. Check carefully, because if much hasn’t been lost and if you keep a roll of duct tape in your car, you can likely seal it right back up until you arrive home, and save 10-50% in the process.

How to choose mulch for your landscape and garden.

Now that we’re clear on mulch, here are some great ideas for container gardens that I found inspiring.

Share

Gardening  / HGTV + DIY Network Projects

Emily
I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

2 Comments


April Cook
May 18, 2016 at 11:34 am
Reply

We are updating our backyard, and I’ve been thinking about adding mulch to the landscaping. I didn’t know there would be so many options! It was interesting to learn that how it is made will affect how it look in the long run. How often do you usually have to re-mulch? Is this something I should plan on doing every year, or will it be around for a while? Thanks for the help!



    Emily
    May 18, 2016 at 8:41 pm

    We can usually get by with mulching every other year, though it depends on how thick the mulch is, and the variety too, of course…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • HI, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. Follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

  • Instagram

    Can’t believe I ever bought dumpling wrappers. 🥟 Pulse a few cups of flour in the food processor drizzling in cold water until it forms dough. Roll smooth. Use a conveniently large cookie cutter, or just trim out squares. The end ❤️ #hny #dumplings
    Didn’t think I’d be making more masks, but her Didn’t think I’d be making more masks, but here we are (now feat. recycled t-shirt layer for added softness and bonus-layer protection). #diy #amateurseamstress #diymask
    Get out there ☀️ Get out there ☀️
    The gang finally showed up. 👻 The gang finally showed up. 👻
    A record 233 cloves + 10 shallots 🧛🏻‍♀️ 
#merrypadathome #garden2021 #garlic #gardennotes #whatisnormal
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Immeasurably tall, lanky tomatillos. #garden2020 # Immeasurably tall, lanky tomatillos. #garden2020 #tomatillos #nofilter
    32 oz., reserved for the brave 🌶🌶 😍#homeg 32 oz., reserved for the brave 🌶🌶 😍#homegrown #tomatillos #harvest2020
    Nothing says “let’s stay home all fall, too” Nothing says “let’s stay home all fall, too” like a badass custom fireplace on our patio. 🔥 #chiminea #merrypadathome
    Load More... follow emily: @merrypad



  • Like Us On Facebook

    Facebook Pagelike Widget



  • Popular Posts

    • How to fix an IKEA drawer. Cheap IKEA Drawers (And The Quick Fix) 40.3k views
    • DIY sideboard rehab. Our Refinished Midcentury Buffet 39.9k views
    • How to design and make a barn quilt. How to Make Your Own Barn Quilt 33.4k views
    • DIY driveway removal. The Driveway Rocks 24.9k views
    • How to hang art on brick surfaces using specialty clips. The Easy Way to Hang Art on Brick or Stone 24.5k views
    • Goodbye, gold fireplace covering. Less Is More: How to Remove a Fireplace Surround 22.3k views
    • Our DIY flagstone patio. Building a Patio in One Day 17.6k views
    • Bedroom paint, freshened up with Snowbound paint. Painting Everything White: We Chose Snowbound, By Sherwin Williams 16.6k views
    • Tips for dying pasta different colors, and a Halloween Recipe for the kids. Tips for Dying Pasta Different Colors (+ A Special Halloween Recipe) 15.4k views
    • Fix an ikea dresser drawer. Life Support For An IKEA Dresser 14.3k views



  • BROWSE POSTS BY CATEGORY:

    • Art Attack (7)
    • Backyard (92)
    • Barn (8)
    • Basement (27)
    • Bathroom (43)
    • Beach (13)
    • Bedrooms (73)
    • Being Thrifty (53)
    • Business-y (12)
    • Buying and Renting and Selling (23)
    • Casual Celebrations (36)
    • Closets (17)
    • Curb Appeal (44)
    • Dainty Details (8)
    • Deck (23)
    • Decor (286)
    • Dining Room (37)
    • DIY (577)
    • Dog-Related (24)
    • Entryway (59)
    • Flooring (58)
    • For the Kids (32)
    • Garage (17)
    • Gardening (70)
    • Helping The Economy (30)
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects (283)
    • Holiday-Related Projects (80)
    • Home Safety (12)
    • Kitchen (83)
    • Lighting (31)
    • Living Room (77)
    • Merry Travels (21)
    • Office Space (21)
    • Organized (41)
    • Other Pads (14)
    • Outdoor Living (12)
    • Scooter Fun (8)
    • Stairwell (20)
    • Sunroom (22)
    • Supporting Sponsors (43)
    • The Art Room (3)
    • Tools (43)
    • Uncategorizable (1)
    • Wedding (28)
    • Windows (14)
    • Work-pads (10)





  • a little bit of everything, friends, DIY, and inspiration

    • Dadand.com < My husband and his BFF
    • DIY Network
    • HGTV
  • Get Posts Via Email

  • Some Legal

    Merrypad incorporates the occasional affiliate link to Amazon.com and Minted; we link to many other websites and products, but if it is in context of a paid sponsorship, it is always noted as such. Please review the privacy policy and contact me if you have any additional questions.

    Theme customized by Pete Fazio Creative, the guy from dadand.com.


© Copyright Merrypad