What is Mulch? A Comprehensive Guide to Types, Benefits, and Cost Considerations

What is mulch? An easy question to answer on the surface. However, there’s a world of helpful information we think that you should know about this “basic” landscaping service. And sure, you may know how crucial mulch is for retaining moisture, battling weeds, temperature regulation, and adding visual appeal, but we’d argue the benefits of mulch go far beyond those four.

Property managers and owners who want to make the most of their landscaping budget need to be aware of all the upsides of mulching properly. Plants, shrubs, and valuable trees will be healthier, which increases their longevity. You can’t overlook how much efficiency is added when mulching is done correctly. For example, your landscape provider may not have to use chemical weed control or irrigate as much (both save you money on maintenance).

Mulching done wrong can do the opposite, though, costing you unnecessary expenses with improper methods we’ll also cover below. Even the way your landscape contract spells out mulch services will impact the value provided by your landscape company. The devil’s in the details (but can be erased with the contract tips we’ll discuss).

Then, there are common misconceptions about mulch and confusion about which materials are ideal for specific property types. Some mulch may last longer than you’d imagine. But the downside might be more than you're willing to accept.

Types of Mulch: Choosing the Right One for Your Landscape

You want the best mulch for your landscape—however, your property is unique. That means the right mulch for your landscaping might not be ideal for a different commercial property down the street. So, it’s smart to start with the three main mulch categories below. 

1. Organic mulch
2. Inorganic mulch
3. Pine straw

Let’s break down each type (to help you choose between organic vs. inorganic mulch).

Organic Mulch

What is mulch in the organic sense? It’s natural mulch. The job of organic mulch is to suppress weeds, hold moisture for plants, and enhance curb appeal. The bonus comes as the organic mulch decomposes over time, which adds nutrients to the soil. This process creates a virtuous cycle that leads to high-quality soil that produces healthier plants.

This type of mulch comes in several forms. Each one serves a similar functional purpose. However, some of the organic mulch options below are a better choice in terms of aesthetics:

• Bark mulch (hardwood, cedar, pine)
• Shredded leaves
• Wheat straw (hay)
• Wood chips

Which lasts the longest? Hardwood bark mulch—due to its durability. The larger the bark pieces, the longer it will last too. Shredded mulch breaks down a little faster since it’s already being broken down by the shredding process. 

Four other factors that impact how long your mulch remains vibrant and effective include:

1. Weather 
2. UV exposure
3. Drainage
4. Foot traffic 
5. Professional weed control program

Inorganic Mulch

Property managers concerned about longevity and how often to replace mulch, should consider inorganic mulch. This option can last many years as long as it isn’t washed away by erosion. However, its color will eventually fade, and it comes with another major downside - it won’t add any nutrients back to the soil. 

As you’ll see with the options below, some inorganic options present real concerns about sustainability:

• Rubber mulch
• Plastic sheeting
• Stone 
• Gravel
• Landscape fabric

Plastic sheeting offers a higher level of weed control underneath attractive wood mulch. However, it doesn’t produce healthy soil. And there are chemicals used to produce the sheeting. The same issue exists for rubber mulch despite the durability upsides and an appealing wood-like appearance. 

Landscape fabric is another effective option for weed prevention. Unlike plastic sheeting, it will break down over time. Still, it doesn’t return nutrients to the ground like pine bark or shredded mulch does. 

Stone or gravel is a good compromise. These materials don’t break down like wood, so there’s no nutrient benefit. Yet they can last for ten years or more as long as weeds aren’t allowed to overtake the beds where stones are installed. Natural gravel and stones are more eco-friendly than man-made ones. 

Pine Straw

Unless you’ve spent time in the southern U.S., you may be unfamiliar with pine straw as a mulch alternative. That’s why we have an upcoming mulch vs. pine straw comparison chart. First, what are the benefits of using pine straw in commercial landscaping? 

• Lightweight
• Readily available in pine forests
• Easy to spread
• Helps maintain moisture

As we mentioned, choosing the right mulch always comes down to each property’s unique features and the property owner’s landscaping goals. Pine straw puts a fine point on what mulch is preferable for specific property types. That’s because it’s perfect for mulching plants that thrive in acidic soil due to the nutrients produced as pine straw breaks down. 

Downsides of pine straw vs. mulch? It doesn’t last as long as mulch, and high winds can blow upper layers of the lightweight pine straw away. 

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Mulch vs. Pine Straw: Which is Better?

Best Use Cases for Mulch vs. Pine Straw

What is mulch’s advantage on commercial properties? It can hold up better to heavy foot traffic. It wins the durability contest vs. thin and lighter-weight pine straw. Plus, mulch gives you more curb appeal options with the variety of colors available. Pine straw offers one basic color (though some long pine needles are brighter than short needles).

Pine straw is terrific when used in residential and natural areas. It’s easy for homeowners to spread in small spaces and replenish as needed. Pine straw is the right choice when trying to reduce costs in the short term as well. It can cover the same area as mulch at a lower price (but will need to be refreshed sooner than mulch). 

What is Mulch's Cost Variance in Proposals? 

Don’t worry if you think mulch proposals are oddly complicated for such a simple service. Mulch pricing does vary a great deal between different commercial landscape providers. We’ll discuss a key reason in one moment. 

First, the material type is important. Dyed rubber mulch is usually going to cost more than organic mulch. Pine straw is typically less expensive than any other mulch option. So, be sure to discuss the type of mulch to be used by your landscape contractor. And be extra certain you’re being charged for the type of mulch used across your entire landscape (not just “most” of it, with less noticeable sections having corners cut with cheaper mulches).

Availability can affect mulch prices too. Some materials are common in certain regions, while others are hard to source, causing price hikes. Specialty materials like cedar or cypress are likely to be the most expensive, especially in regions they’re not widely used. 

Beware of Bad Actors

Another thing to monitor is that you’re being charged fairly for how much mulch your provider uses. They should be installing mulch at two to three inches deep (more on this coming up). Some unscrupulous contractors overcharge customers for mulch by applying just enough depth to look good from the surface level, yet, over the long run, the mulch needs replenishing sooner, costing the property owner more money. That’s bad business.

The same goes for pine straw. Unless it’s installed heavy enough to keep down weeds, you’ll be paying to have more bales added sooner than you want. Another common corner cut is dishonest providers claiming to spread 100 bales (for example) and only putting out 75.

Of course, how much use you get out of your mulch depends on the materials you choose. Rubber mulch will outlast natural mulch material. Another important question you need to consider is how long until the rubber mulch’s color fades out. That’ll help you decide the best mulch for landscaping in your situation.

The key reason we noted earlier for price variances? Labor costs.

There’s no question a smaller landscaping provider can often provide a “better deal” on mulch if they’re paying their employees poorly. Or paying them under the table. If the company isn’t providing workers’ compensation insurance, that lowers their costs too, and gives them flexibility to offer cheaper mulch services. 

Improper insurance coverage puts property owners at risk, though. An injury to one of their workers could come back to bite you legally—a high price to pay to save a little on mulch. Choosing a reputable, licensed, and insured commercial landscape company is the safe choice even though your costs could be a bit higher than a fly-by-night provider (not always the case, since large companies can buy mulch in bulk and pass the savings to you).

Contract Considerations: Should You Remove Mulch from Your Commercial Maintenance Contract?

The short answer is yes, in most cases. You should take mulch out of your landscape contract, and here’s the logic behind it.

1. More transparent pricing for you
2. Simpler to compare multiple vendors’ overall pricing
3. You gain flexibility in materials and service timing 

All three are to your advantage. Bundled pricing helps in some aspects of landscape contracts, but mulch services have too much variability. That’s what we’ve found at Yellowstone Landscape. So we like to make things simple and cost-effective for our customers. 

We’re interested in good long-term relationships with our clients, and this is in their best interest. Plus, it helps us to plan clients’ tailored services accurately.

The Flexibility Aspect is Crucial, Especially if Your Needs Change Mid-Contract

Let’s say you add a new structure to your property that causes the removal of a landscape bed. If you’re paying for mulch as needed (not included in the contract), you’ll save money on that portion of your property that no longer needs mulching.

What about structuring mulch as a separate line item in your landscape service agreement? Consider an annual mulch refresh instead of full removal and replacement. Your provider would add a new layer of mulch as needed. This can maximize your landscaping budget, especially in ideal conditions where your mulch doesn’t get pounded by heavy UV rays or foot traffic.  

Full removal and replacement might be needed, but probably not every year. And having that detail in your contract helps ensure you get what you pay for. And cost forecasting will be more precise. Remember, you can adjust these line items to have some landscaping beds refreshed while others get full replacement. Yellowstone Landscape’s tailored approach gives our customers this valuable flexibility.

Another line item to use to your advantage is standard vs. premium mulch materials. 

You should be getting the type of mulch you’re paying for. It would be easy to overlook being charged for specialty mulches like cypress or dyed mulch when, in reality, your provider is using the cheapest mulch they can source.

See the following pro tips for implementing the above strategies:

• Always get quotes from more than one reputable provider
• Look for seasonal mulch discounts
• Review your landscaping contract every few months
• Discuss changing mulch service details with your current provider before the contract renews

Best Practices for Mulch Installation & Maintenance 

Although mulch installation is a simple service, doing it correctly matters. 

So, we’ve talked about the right amount of mulch, which is two to three inches deep (trees may need up to four inches). Also, we’ve noted in other articles how certain types of wood mulch can repel pests. However, there are other issues that rarely get mentioned in the disucssion about mulching.

Too much mulch can suffocate plant roots. It makes sense when you think about it because a core function of mulch is to kill weeds (which are plants too). See, adding an over-abundance of mulch leads to root rot and plant death. Why? It prevents air and water from reaching the soil.

Over-mulching hurts your plants, shrubs, and trees. Worse—you’re paying for more mulch than is needed!

Another thing that derails the benefits of mulch in commercial landscaping is mulch “volcanoes” around your trees, which can cause the following problems:

• Invites pests
• Causes disease
• Root suffocation
• Unsightly

What is a Mulch Volcano, Exactly? 

It looks like it sounds, a mound of mulch with an opening at the top. This opening can retain excess water, attracting pests and producing fungal growth. Plus, as you know, standing water attracts disease-spreading mosquitoes.

Simply put, mulch volcanoes are the result of mulch piled too high. Air and moisture struggle to flow to tree roots, while visual attention is drawn away from an attractive tree toward excess mulch “lumped” in an unprofessional manner. 

Note the three best practices for mulch installation below. But focus on timing, first. 

Your provider should have mulching scheduled twice a year. Once in early spring, then again in late fall before the first freezing temperatures. Since Mother Nature is volatile, your landscaping company needs to have flexibility built into the timing. For example, when the leaves fall later in certain years, providers should delay adding mulch to avoid having it covered in fallen leaves.

Best practices providers should follow:

1. Avoid piling mulch against plant stems
2. Use landscape fabric for extra weed control
3. Mix and turn mulch seasonally to prevent compaction and bring fresh material to the surface

Conclusion: What is Mulch? 

Once you dig into the nuances of what mulch is and how it adds value to your landscape, this “basic” landscaping service gets the proper respect it deserves. A healthy vibrant landscape can’t exist without paying close attention to best mulching practices. It’s a vital piece to the puzzle of creating premier outdoor spaces.

And if you’ve made it this far, you now have a solid idea of the main types of mulch materials. We highlighted which ones work best in certain parts of the country and on individual parts of your property. Also important is the knowledge we shared about how to navigate mulch pricing in your landscape contract.

Saving money is always a good thing. And with slight tweaks to how your service agreement is set up, you can maximize your landscaping budget. That can mean using leftover money in other aspects of your property maintenance or adding a fresh outdoor amenity with the savings. 

Finally, we talked about the potential for negative outcomes when mulch isn’t installed the right way. Again, a simple service should still be handled in a professional, proven manner. You know what to look for to avoid any such issues with how your mulch is installed.

Yellowstone Landscape takes pride in carefully putting these pieces of the puzzle together for our clients. That’s what comprehensive commercial landscaping is all about. Contact us today to discuss your landscaping needs.

FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Mulch

1. How often should I replace my mulch?
   • Most commercial properties refresh mulch annually. Pine straw may require twice-a-year replenishment.
2. Is pine straw a cost-effective alternative to mulch?
   • It depends on long-term goals. Pine straw is cheaper upfront but requires more frequent replacement.
3. How do I avoid ‘mulch volcanoes’ around trees?
   • Yellowstone Landscape ensures mulch doesn’t come into direct contact with the tree trunk and they spread mulch out to the drip line to benefit each tree’s entire root system.
4. Does mulch impact soil pH?
   • Organic mulch slightly acidifies soil as it decomposes, while pine straw can significantly lower pH over time.
5. How much mulch do I need for my property?
   • General recommendation: 2-3 inches deep. Yellowstone provides site-specific calculations.
6. Why do some landscape contracts charge more for mulch?
   • Costs vary due to material type, labor, and installation depth.
7. What is the best mulch for erosion control?
   • Heavy bark mulch or stone is ideal for sloped areas.
8. Does Yellowstone provide sustainable mulch options?
   • Yes. The company’s commitment to eco-friendly landscaping means it provides sustainable mulch options tailored to customer needs.
9. Can mulch prevent pests?
   • Cedar mulch has natural pest-repellent properties, but overuse of mulch generally can attract insects.
10. How do I avoid mulch volcanoes’ around trees?
    • Maintain a mulch depth of 2 to 4 inches, leave a small mulch-free zone around the trunk, and spread mulch out to the drip line while regularly monitoring and adjusting the mulch level.