When do you mulch???

[tazman]

Just kind of curious when people lay down bark. Early or late Spring, early Summer??? I saw some people putting it down in January. Last year we barked six restaurants in May and they complained it was to late. I am thinking this year to do it in March because if we do it earlier around here, the rains wash them out. Any pro and cons on what month to do it? Thanks.

[kutnkru]

is to mulch as early in the spring as possible.

We however, like to mulch in October so that the plant materials can benefit from the nutrient value during the winter months, and then it gets "re-fluffed" as we perform spring clean-ups.

I personally like the way a fall mulching looks if there is no snow on the ground (mild winters lately here). You can still see somewhat of a pattern on the turf and yet the muclhing just adds that extra touch. Kind of like winter advertising.

Just my .02
Kris

[tazman]

I can't believe Kutnkru is the only one out there that puts bark down. I was hoping to get a little more response, considering there has been more than 60+ looks at this thread. As Major Tom says "Anybody out there??"

[1MajorTom]

Well in an ideal world, we would like to lay the mulch down in March, but sometimes it just doesn't all work out that way for us.
Being here near Pittsburgh, we have to wait until the snow is off the ground.

If we have a decent March, we will be doing our mulching then. Hopefully no later than April 15th, because by then we will be contending with the grass and we need to devote our time to cutting.

Mulch jobs are not something that we go after. We will do them for our existing customers, but usually turn away customers that just want mulch laid down and nothing else.
At the present time, we do not contract it out either.

I definitely say, if your weather is good in March, mulch then.

[goose]

We do it twice a year , March and October.Mulches main funtion is to retain moisture . Once you have it at the right depth you need to add just enough to change the color. You might even have to get some of the old mulch out first.

[lsylvain]

I try to do mulching in spring just before starting the mowing season, for the customers I have grass contracts with.
If I do not have the customer's grass contract I try to do their mulching just at the begining of the mowing season, and give them a free mow.

[Skookum]

Around here the practice, from my competitors profiles, and my account preference experience, is Spring mulching as main and usually only mulch work. I have never had accounts ask for turning or fluffing. It is a practice that seems to work best when you just figure it in to the bid and just do it.

Some accounts are mulched as soon as conditions permit in early Spring around March and April. Others are just fluffed with a rake or small bed tiller and then mulched in early Summer after annual flowers have been planted in late May to early June or after beds have been edged for Spring.

I agree with the comments about Fall mulching or at least turning it over for winter. If there is not alot of snow during the winter, some accounts that are highly visible benefit from this practice. I do this to a few maintenance accounts

I am curious if anyone along these lines of fluffing or turning mulch, has ever used any of the spray colorants to add to this practice. I have thought about it alot since I first ever seen the colorants. I think it would be ideal for sites where the mulched ares are not really close to public view like tree rings or back of property areas and where the chance for foot traffic through the mulch is minimal. Just fluff and spray and it would look like new mulch applied. This could maybe be a good practice for the Fall mulch work?

[Strawbridge Lawn]

I do it in the spring and again lightly in July-Aug for mainly aesthetic value. Typically rake up some mulch in the spring to maintain a set depth of fresh mulch and in the fall a little 10-10-10 takes care of the bed feeding.
Strawbridge Lawn and Landscape

[kutnkru]

Scott

The colorants will cost you approximately .09-.12/sf vs .30/sf for mulching. Hope their site helps you out.

http://www.nortechforest.com/products/mulch.html

Kris

[kutnkru]

I like the thought process of fluffing in the spring when I have so many other more profitable services to perform than the inital mulching.

Kris

[awm]

Mulch can be put down anytime,when its needed.
I prefer mulch that is cured out.

[Greenkeepers]

We usually mulch in march or April depending on what the weather is like. Last year we were even mulching in may/june...

[dmk395]

april, may, and june for me in massachusetts

[Ssouth]

Will be doing first mulch job of the season Feb 20th. After that I will be doing mulch through June. I love to mulch beds and make great money off of it. It is truly the the thing I like most. For instance, you can work on a landscape plan for two weeks and it will only look complete on the last day when you put the mulch down. Hence, instant gratification. Here I charge a set rate of $35/yd plus delivery. By myself, I can normally put out 3 yards/hour. With help I can put out 8 yards/hour.

[visions landscape]

Kutnkru, I mulch Feb. and March during spring clan up
and some again in the fall. Today spread 27 cubic yards
with blower truck two men three hours time

[kutnkru]

Is that what you used for your operations?
Kris

[65hoss]

I'll start mulching around 1st of March for normal customers. I'll have people throughout the year that will ask for it also. I did a good bit of biz in the fall.

[DMC300]

VISIONS,what rig do you have?Do you own,rent,or lease?

[visions landscape]

DMC300
I buy mulch in bulk from local company
(except cypress). I will put out by hand or if I
need Blower truck they will send truck that hols 40 cubic yards 600 ft. of hose two guys for about $10.00-$12.00 per yard on top of $8.00 product cost. Ten cubic min. to get them to del.

[kutnkru]

Visions
Do you know if they bought from rexus or is it from another company??

Just curious
Kris

[visions landscape]

Kutnkru, I dont Know the brand of the truck Its a
semi with a huge hopper (40cubic yards) they bought truck in Oregon.

[MLS]

We mulch as early in the spring as we can as long as all the leaves are up. Also we tried the colorant that somebody mentioned, it worked OK but its nowhere close to new mulch.

[smburgess]

We started mulching last week at the McDonald's (24 of them). I bring 80 yards at a time (usually 3 tractor trailer loads) of the red dyed mulch up from North Carolina, it cost me delivered to each location $21.00 per yard and I charge them $35.00 per yard and $35.00 per man hour to spread it. After that we'll start with the double-shredded hardwood bought locally which I will use about 1000 yards, and my God am I glad when we are done!!! We are usually cutting grass before we are done mulching, I rarely will mulch during the summer, tooooo hottttt....

[powerreel]

You had better be mulching NOW! Perrenials are starting to come up as are bulbs. I have dafs that will crack from bud this week. Don't use bark, everyone here uses bark and it is real bad for your plantings, use STEERCO for plantings. Bark kills the fungi in the soil STEERCO will cultivate it. Both shade weeds 1 grows HEALTHY plants- your choice!

[kutnkru]

Can you elaborate on steerco for those of us on the east coast powerreel.

Thanks
Kris