Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Principle # 4:

Mulch

Mulch & Your Landscape

Applying mulch to your landscape is a simple "green up" strategy that everyone can do. There are many "green" benefits to applying mulch. Organic mulch improves soil fertility as it decomposes reducing the need for fertilizers.

Mulches also help maintain soil moisture by reducing evaporation. Less supplemental irrigation is needed.

Fresh mulch is known to inhibit weed germination and growth reducing the need for herbicides. All that is needed is a little hand weeding.

Another big plus for using mulch is that it buffers soil temperatures keeping soils warmer in the winder and cooler in the summer.

Mulch around trees and shrubs makes maintenance easier, reducing the likelihood of damage from string types of trimmers. In an area that is difficult to mow, irrigate, or maintain, use mulch to replace turf or ground cover. Consider placing mulch in shady areas where plants don't grow well.

For additional information on mulch, please visit: Living Green: Mulch

Florida-Friendly Landscapes: Mulch

• Keep a 2-3 inch layer of mulch over the roots of trees, shrubs, and in plant beds. Remember to leave at least 2 inches of space between the mulch and the plant's trunk or stem. (Don't mulch citrus trees.)
• Replenish mulch once or twice a year, as needed to maintain a 2-3 inch depth.
• Create self-mulching areas under trees where leaves can stay where they fall.
• Use by-product or alternative mulches such as pine bark, eucalyptus, or utility mulch. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program does not recommend the use of cypress mulch, as its origins may be difficult to determine.

How Much Mulch Will You Need?

If you are buying bags containing 2 cubic feet of mulch, you can use the following chart. The inches (2-4) represent the depth of mulch you will need to lay down.

Your Plant Bed in Sq. Ft.	2 Inches	3 Inches	4 Inches
25 sq. ft.	2 bags	3 bags	4 bags
50 sq. ft.	4 bags	6 bags	9 bags
100 sq. ft.	9 bags	13 bags	17 bags