According to a North Carolina State University study, a proper layer of mulch will result in a 10 to 25 percent decrease in soil moisture loss due to evaporation, help keep the soil aerated by reducing soil compaction from rain hitting directly on the soil, and reduce water runoff and soil erosion. The insulating qualities of mulch help keep the soil at a more uniform temperature by keeping it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Types of Mulch
Mulch falls into one of two main categories, organic mulch and inorganic mulch. Organic mulch would be material such as pine straw, bark nuggets, wood chips, compost, grass clippings, or even layers of newspaper. Organic mulch will usually decompose over time and will need to be replenished regularly. Examples of inorganic mulch are gravel, rocks, pebbles, recycled glass, recycled tire mulch, and landscape fabric. This type of mulch typically does not decompose over time so need only be placed once.

How Much
Mulch should be applied to a depth of about 2 to 4” and extend out to cover as much of the root zone as possible. For trees, mulch at least 3 to 6’ out from the tree. Be sure to pull mulch back 1 to 2” from the base of plants and trees to prevent rot.

Mulch Use Calculator
Check out The How Do Gardener Mulch Use Calculator to calculate how much mulch you will need to cover an area based on its length, width, and the depth of mulch desired.

Use a Border
Rather than just having a mulched bed go right up against your lawn, use a border of stones, metal or plastic edging material. This will make for a distinct outline for your mulched area, keep weeds and grass from growing into your beds, and make trimming the grass along the bed edges much easier.

Free Mulch?
Well, mulching sounds like a good idea, but what about this whole “free mulch” thing? Did you ever wonder what happens to the tree limbs and branches that the power company trims back from power lines, or the empty glass bottles that are picked up from all of those recycling bins you see curbside on garbage day? Here in Austin, and in many cities across the country, they are processed into various forms of mulch and made available to the public for little or no cost, usually at the city dump or recycling center.

Tree waste is shredded into traditional wood mulch, and the collected glass waste is crushed into small pieces and tumbled with course sand until the edges are smooth and there are no more sharp points. Some facilities sort the glass by color, and others mix glass of all colors together to produce an attractive multi-colored glass mulch.

Here in Austin, you can get as much wood mulch as you can load into your vehicle for no charge. If you load glass mulch yourself, it is also free, or for $9.67 you can have a worker in a Bobcat load a ton of glass mulch in one quick dump. Not a bad deal, a ton of mulch for the same price as a few bags of mulch purchased from the store.

Get Creative
Try putting different types of mulch in different beds and pathways in your landscape to add interest. Glass mulch makes an interesting and attractive addition to your home landscape, but its unique properties afford an opportunity to get creative. Try replacing that narrow strip of grass between the street and the sidewalk with glass mulch. I decided to form up my own custom concrete stepping stones, in sizes ranging from 1’ by 1’, to 1’ by 2’, and embed a layer of glass mulch into the top of the wet concrete to provide a one of a kind look for a pathway.

Summary
Mulch can be applied any time of the year. It can consist of a wide variety of materials with many different textures, colors, and looks. Other than a little elbow grease, it can often be applied for little or no cost. Check with your local municipal waste management facility or recycling center for free mulch in your area. Mulch is a great way to spruce up your landscape and protect your plants. Choose mulch with the look and the price that suits your needs and put some down this season. You’ll be pleased with the way your landscape looks and the way your plants and trees thrive.

The post Maybe There's No Free Lunch, But There Is Free Mulch first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Here are 10- to 15-minute garden and lawn drills to keep your focus on the game and yard work on the sideline this fall:

September
* Lawns can get damaged when kids and pets play on grass that is still wilting from summer heat and drought. Spruce up your lawn by reseeding with a quality grass seed and lawn food specifically designed to help seed germinate, like Scotts Starter Fertilizer. Fall is the best time for grass. Keep the seed and young grass watered and hold off on any weed control until the new grass has been mowed four times.

* Feed the grass. The difference between “so-so” grass and truly beautiful grass, both now and next spring, is two fall feedings. Feeding in early September helps your lawn begin rebuilding grass roots that were damaged during the hot, dry summer. Feed again in late October to prepare for winter, using Scotts Winter Guard once new seed is established.

* Create patches of color in your landscape by filling pots with fall flora. Replace tired-looking summer plants with mums, asters, pansies and flowering cabbage. Look for special displays at local garden centers and add Miracle-Gro potting soil to your containers for big, beautiful blooms.

* Clean up the garden. Perennials may now be past their prime and the summertime vegetable garden may be looking a bit sparse. If so, cut them back. This will help keep bugs and disease away. Use what you cut to start a compost pile.

October
* Prevent tree leaves from smothering grass. Contrary to popular belief, fallen tree leaves will not insulate the lawn during winter. In fact, they can block vital sunlight and cause turf to thin. So, drop the rake and mulch leaves to dime-sized pieces with a lawn mower. Leave clippings on the lawn to allow leaves to recycle back into the soil, providing food for earthworms and soil microbes.

* Plant spring-blooming bulbs now for bursts of color later. Visit a local garden center for a great selection of daffodil, crocus, hyacinth, tulip and other spring-flowering bulbs. Plant in masses or tuck patches into other beds for a surprise of spring color. Feed with Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Bone Meal for strong root development.

* Due to cooler temperatures, fall is a great time to plant a tree or shrub. Soils stay warm late into the fall which allows for good root development and less transplant shock. Roots will also have an easier time starting new growth again in early spring, and plants are often on sale in autumn. Be sure to use Miracle-Gro Quick Start Transplant Starting Solution to help prevent transplant shock and provide essential nutrients.

November
Mow at a “summer height” of 2 to 3 inches until your grass stops growing – into early winter. Do not lower your height for the final cut.

* Clean up tools for a fresh start next spring. They have served you well all season, but now it is time to put them away. To prevent rusting, give tools a good cleaning before hanging up, and then spray a light coating of common household oil. When finished mowing for the year, perform any mower maintenance before storage for winter. Sharpen mower blades, change the spark plug, and be sure to drain the gas or run the engine dry of fuel.

With these quick drills in the rotation, the garden and lawn will stay in tip-top shape leaving plenty of time to catch games. They also will look great for any impromptu tailgate parties. These simple tasks will make life easier next spring and give the garden and lawn a head start.

The post Have More Time for Football: 15-minute Garden and Lawn Drills first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Taking a few simple measures will kick-off fall on the right foot.

Seed
Whether your Bermuda grass lawn in the south has turned brown and gone dormant for the season, or your Kentucky blue grass lawn has suffered due to the extreme heat of summer in the north, make repair work easy by choosing the correct grass seed for the job.

For the South
In most southern climates, fall is the perfect time to be outdoors entertaining friends, but a brown lawn is not friendly enough for frolicking. Some of the neighbors may have scalped their lawns of turfgrass, planted ryegrass or mulched and fertilized with manure – accompanied by a very foul odor – in an attempt to grow a new lawn for winter. But who needs all that work? Everything you need to get a great winter lawn is combined into one bag, with Scotts Turf Builder EZ Seed Ultimate Winter Lawn Mix. Getting a soft, green carpet of grass is quick and easy with the Winter Lawn Mix.  It contains an expandable mulch, selected seed mix, and fertilizer.  Establishing a lawn has never been easier nor more successful.

In the North
Even if your lawn is in great shape overall, fall is a great time to repair those smaller, bare spots along the driveway or under the swing. Additionally, reseeding a lawn that suffers from thinning will give it a more lush, uniform appearance and help prevent weeds from establishing

Where to Start
For smaller areas, use Scotts Turf Builder EZ Seed to quickly and easily establish beautiful grass in bare spots. For all-over thickening or “overseeding,” try Scotts Turf Builder Sun &amp Shade Mix featuring WaterSmart coating technology. Both products contain high-quality grass seed that will aggressively spread to fill in bare spots. Both options yield early seeding success with less water.

Mow
For an established lawn, set the mower at the highest recommended setting for your grass type and leave clippings on the lawn. Doing so keeps the soil cooler, and encourages deeper root growth. Leaving the clippings on your lawn adds organic material back into the grass, enriching the soil.

Mulch Those Leaves
Leaves that have been left on the lawn and chopped up into dime sized pieces by a mulching mower blade provide a natural layer of organic matter that will break down and help nourish the lawn. Once the leaf bits settle in, microbes and worms get to work recycling them. Any kind of rotary-action mower will do the job chopping up any kind of leaf. With several passes of your mower, you can mulch up to 18 inches of leaf clutter. Adding a nice layer of lawn food afterwards will help break down the mulched leaves even faster. When grass is fed after mulching leaves, it will grow better and microbes will work harder.

Feed
Grass needs nutrients just like you do. With the proper feeding, grass will grow stronger, deeper roots that can endure harsh conditions and crowd out weeds. Use a starter fertilizer, like Scotts Turf Builder Starter Fertilizer, when planting new grass to promote root growth and seedling development.

Follow these easy tips to care for and repair your grass this fall. It will thank you by being thicker, greener and more weed-free come spring.

The post Tips for a Great Lawn this Fall first appeared on The How Do Gardener.