The Yard Depot FAQ
We put together this Frequent Asked Questions to help answering most common questions regarding to mulch, soil and compost. We also develop a quick guide to help you to decide what to do with our products. If you have any questions, feel free to ask our helpful staff.
Why use mulch?
~ Is aesthetically pleasing
~ Controls erosion
~ Retains soil moisture
~ Moderates soil temperature
~ Safe and non-toxic
~ Retards weeds
~ Keeps mowers and string trimmers away
~ Creates a natural forest like environment
~ Encourages bacteria, microbes, and organisms that break mulch into humus
~ Leads to porous, loosely textured, aerobic soils
~ Improves the health of plants
Which mulch is best and how should mulch be applied?
This mainly depends on the area where the mulch is to be applied and the type of plants to be mulched. Here are the norm:
~ Areas that are wet and poorly drained - use coarser or loose mulch such as black mulch or bright red mulch. It will allow air movement.
~ Dry, sandy areas - use the finer ground mulch such as brown mulch or brown enhanced mulch; it retains moisture very well.
~ Areas that have steep slopes or wash areas - use shredded or stringy type mulch such as cedar mulch.
~ Mulch should be applied 3 to 4 inches deep. Because mulch decomposes; re-apply mulch once or twice per year. Remember to keep the depth at 3 to 4 inches.
~ For trees, mulch should be applied from the trunk to the drip line (the end of the branches). Do not apply mulch around tree trunks like volcanoes and do not apply directly against the trunk of trees. The could result in trunk decay and insects.
~ Do not use black plastic under mulch. The could suffocate the roots.
~ If weeds are in the mulch, pull out or use a herbicide such as Roundup.
Why use soil?
The soil mix provides physical support for the plant, acts as a source or reservoir of water and nutrients, allows circulation of air to the roots while protecting them from sun damage and desiccation. For some plants it is also important that the soil serve as thermal storage allowing the plant to survive greater temperature extremes than it could in bare-root form.
If you need to buy soil to level bare spots in your lawn or create raised beds for a new flower or even build a brand new vegetable garden; buy the best-quality topsoil you can afford. Several types of soil are available at The Yard Depot, from topsoil to sandy loam, and a mixture may be just what you need.
Make sure you know how much soil you need before having it delivered. Think about where you want the topsoil dumped. If you are going to have it dumped in the driveway, be sure to lay a tarp first; the topsoil can stain your concrete driveway. If it will be dumped in the grass, spread the soil within about a week to avoid killing the grass.
What are compost benefits?
~Using compost is a practice that does at once what nature would ultimately do
~ Builds soil organic matter
~ Slowly releases nutrients
~ Improves water retention in soil
~ Suppresses disease
~ Helps break down pollutants
~ Erosion control
~ Can be used as a substitute for silt fence
~ Improves the texture of clay and sandy soils
~ Provides a huge number of beneficial soil organisms