The problem with thick mulch
Walk through almost any neighborhood in Clifton Park or Burnt Hills in May and you’ll see the same thing: crews piling on fresh mulch over last year’s mulch over the year before that. Three, four inches deep. Sometimes more.
The homeowner pays for it every spring. And then — a few years down the line — they pay again to have it hauled out.
That’s not landscaping. That’s a billing cycle.
How mulch actually works
Mulch breaks down over time. That’s the whole point. It suppresses weeds, holds moisture, and feeds the soil as it decomposes. But when you pile it on thick, it mats up. Water can’t penetrate. Roots get starved of air. You end up with a soggy, rotting layer that becomes its own problem.
“I’ve learned that a little goes a long way — it’s better to mulch more frequently and use less than to lay it three or four inches thick and hope for the best.”
The right approach is a thin coat — about an inch, maybe an inch and a half — applied more frequently than most companies would ever suggest. Not because it’s cheaper for the homeowner (it might not be), but because it actually works better.
What we do differently
We don’t show up every spring and dump a full load on top of whatever’s already there. We look at what’s there first. If there’s still decent mulch from last year, we might freshen just the top and focus effort where it’s actually needed — around new plantings, in high-traffic beds, along curbing.
If a bed has been over-mulched for years, we’ll tell you. We’d rather spend an hour removing the buildup than charge you to make the problem worse.
It seems obvious when you say it out loud. A lot of companies don’t do it that way.
What to look for at your own house
Pull back the mulch in a bed. If it’s more than two inches deep and the bottom layer looks dark and compressed, you’ve got buildup. You’re not doing your plants any favors.
The fix isn’t complicated: rake out the old stuff, let the beds breathe, and start fresh with a thin application. After that, less is more — every time.
If you’re not sure where you stand, text us. We can walk your beds and tell you honestly whether you need anything this year at all.
Have questions? Text Mitchell at (518) 419-9012 — he answers every one himself.
Text Mitchell a photo at (518) 419-9012 — he gives straight answers, no sales pitch.
