Be sure to choose the right creation

Choosing the right mulch for your garden can depend on many factors.
Spreading a layer of mulch over the flowerbeds will help fight off those summertime weeds. But now it seems the variety of mulch is almost as numerous as the buds themselves.
With so many colors and styles to choose from, mulch has transcended the boundaries of mere weed control and become something of a fashion statement.
Many garden centers offer mulch in a pretty palette of earth tones ranging from bold red, to deep black to chocolate brown.
And if the colored mulch were dyed with natural vegetable dyes, you can rest assured they're environmentally friendly.
"Vegetable dyes won't hurt the environment and besides looking good, another reason people like dyed mulch is because it decomposes at a slower rate than mulch that hasn't been dyed," said Judy Bott, of Elliott's Western Reserve Nursery in Boardman. "While other wooden mulches start to decompose and become humus, dyed mulch will last and look nice for as long as a year."
Elliott's dyes its own mulch made from recycled wooden pallets.
Dyed mulch advice
If you choose dyed mulch for your flowerbeds, Bott advises against spreading the mulch when the weather forecast calls for rain.
"When you purchase colored mulch, it is often still damp from the dyeing process," Bott said. "If you spread it in your garden and then it sits in the rain for two days, much of the color might wash off. Instead, spread the dyed mulch when you know you're going to have a few days of sunny weather so the mulch can dry out."
Bott said black-dyed mulch is the most popular color choice among customers because the dark hue "really makes plants and flowers stand out."
Elliott's dyed mulch sells for about $30 per cubic yard while it also manufactures a double-shredded, non-dyed mulch made from hardwood bark that sells for about $23 per cubic yard.
Both of these types are available in bulk.
Its cedar mulch and pine bark nugget mulch are not sold in bulk but are offered in bags containing 2 cubic feet for $4 each.
"People like cedar mulch because it decays slower than other types of wooden mulch and has a nice fragrance," Bott said. "They like the pine bark mulch because it also smells nice and resists fungus problems."
Gravel mulch
However, mulch doesn't have to be made of wood.
Some people use decorative gravel as mulch.
"The biggest attraction with gravel is lower maintenance," Bott said. "Although you have to replace wooden mulch every year, you will probably only need to freshen up gravel mulch every four years."
That doesn't mean gravel mulch doesn't have its drawbacks.
"It's very heavy and it costs more," Bott said. "You will also need to lay down landscape fabric to separate the stones from the soil. Otherwise, the stones will just sink into the soil."
Landscape fabric allows soil to breathe and allows plants to receive water and nutrients. Most types of landscape fabric have a 20-year life expectancy.
Never use plastic as a barrier between stones and soil, Bott said.
"Plastic doesn't allow the soil to breathe or water to penetrate the soil," she explained.
Some of the most popular types of rocks used as mulch include lava rock, marble chips and pink granite.
One inconvenience with lava rock is that it's lightweight enough to get sucked up by outdoor vacuums or blown around by leaf blowers.
"That's one thing you have to consider when planning to use stones as mulch," Bott said. "Ask yourself how you will clean leaves and debris from the stones in the fall. If you don't already have one, you might need to invest in a leaf blower or outdoor vacuum."
But whether you use gravels or shredded bark as mulch, there are a few do's and don'ts to be aware of.
Mulching don'ts include:
*Don't spread mulch when the ground is soaking wet. Wait until the ground has dried out or you might encounter problems with fungus, mold and pests.
*Don't layer mulch at a depth of more than 2 1/2 inches.
*Don't spread new mulch over old mulch without first stirring up the old mulch and lightly fertilizing the soil.
*Don't pile mulch up around the trunks of trees or other plants. Trunks and stems need to breathe, and the little mountains of mulch will suffocate the plant and eventually kill it.
Mulching do's include:
*To avoid a weed takeover, spread mulch early in the season as soon as the ground has dried out. Make it a goal to have your flowerbeds mulched no later than Memorial Day.
*If you have a problem with slugs, use cedar mulch. Cedar is a natural slug repellent.
*If you have problems with fungus, use soft wood mulches such as cedar, cypress and pine. Hardwood mulches such as oak, maple and cherry are more susceptible to fungus.
*If you use gravel as mulch, put down old sheets or tarps when pruning shrubs and bushes. The trimmings will fall on the cloth and keep sticks and debris out of your stones.
Source: Judy Bott of Elliott's Western Reserve Nursery