Mulch in landscape beds question Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   1/18/2013 11:01 AM

   I know I'm not going to provide enough information probably but had a question come up today.
   
   We are located in SW MO and we have a fairly large landscape bed that is typically loaded with a variety of plants, mostly mums, some native maiden grasses, and a couple of different perennial ground covers, one I know with a purple flower which could be one of at least 60 something plants.
   
   My question is, after we have cleaned out the dead plant material this fall/early winter, we are now adding more mulch to the bed, we haven't really done this before to this bed at this time of the year due to other projects in years past, but the question is, will that layer of mulch stop these plants from emerging in the spring time? (I know not having the exact plant species isn't helping), but wouldn't a majority of ground covers come back? I am guessing it's a perennial ground cover because it has always come back before.
   
   Just trying to get some information so I can calm the fears of my general manager who is worried about it. I haven't had to worry about most of our landscape stuff here before at this course since we have had people who has been here longer then me taking care of it, but this might have been the last season for them.
   
   Thanks! Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
2. Virgil Range

   

   0 posts
   
   1/19/2013 5:01 AM

   Mel,
   Thanks for the response on the preemergent.
   
   I dont think the mulch will stop any perennial from emerging in the spring. But thing is this. When i was in Chicago we had alot of annual beds. One bed we put down a layer of mulch in the fall after taking out the dead annuals. When spring came around we tilled up with mulch and soil, planted the annuals and watered. But those plants didn't last long at all. We fell that the mulch dried out things much faster and just burned up the flowers.
   So no more adding mulch to annual flower beds for me. Yes ill still put down a nice coat on the perennials but not in the annuals.
   
   Virgil

   
   
   
   
3. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   1/19/2013 10:01 AM

   Thanks Virgil,
   
   I figured a load of mulch would even help protect any perennial in a bed, thanks for the info on annuals, we don't do much around here, (about 2 flats at most) but might come in handy down the road.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
4. Kevin Fateley

   

   5 posts
   
   1/19/2013 11:01 AM

   I will put my award winning landscape contractor typing fingers on to answer this question.
   We usually put on up to 3" of mulch on new ground cover plantings with no problem.
   I think you will be alright with no more than 3" on these existing plants. Although the perennials might take a little longer to poke through in the spring.
   
   Now for a landscapers tip on mulching new ground cover (1.5-4" pots) beds at planting time.
   Place the mulch down first then carefully plant ground cover through the mulch. I know this is backwards but it is faster and you don't dislodge plants when placing and smoothing out the mulch. Simply hand clear dig set plant and hand set mulch back. Good planting bed preparation is critical to speed the trowel planting process.
   
   Kevin Fateley
   Wildcat Creek Golf &Fitness
   Kanscapes