Natural Mulch and Ground Cover Available for Lawns in Austin, Texas.

Natural Mulch and Ground Cover Available for Lawns in Austin, Texas.

Natural Mulch and Ground Cover are essential part of lawn and landscapes in Austin, TX. Our lawn care experts can help you choose the right mulch or ground cover material for your needs. In this blog, written and compiled by recognized lawn care industry professionals, we will arm you with the knowledge to help you make the right decision. Afterall, any type of landscape installation is a no easy feat. It requires proper planning and expert-level knowledge to create a landscape that works for you, not the other way around.

Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

Corrugated cardboard boxes are biodegradable and will decompose as time passes by. It is normally used as a natural barrier to suppress turf or weed growth on specific areas. It cools down the coverage area, like a garden bed or pathway. As it decomposes, nematode population naturally increases to create a local ecosystem, which affects macro and micro nutrients in the soil. This natural ecosystem also lessens the need for human intervention, the use of herbicides, pesticides, and the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Note that corrugated cardboard boxes can be unpleasant to look at, and lawn care professionals like us almost always use it as a natural weed barrier, thereby lessening the need for non-biodegradable oil-based weed fabric in Austin.

Newspapers

Newspapers are very similar to corrugated cardboard boxes, like all paper based material, will decompose if left in contact with the soil. It can be used to suppress weeds and pests, and also cools down the garden bed. Newspapers create the same pros and cons found on corrugated cardboard boxes. Lawn care professionals installing newspapers typically use it as a natural weed barrier, to be used in conjunction with hardwood cedar mulch, decomposed granite, or pea gravel to improve aesthetics.

Hardwood Mulch

Hardwood mulch is very popular and came from recycled wood. Unlike corrugated cardboard boxes and newspapers, it does not smother weeds. This is the reason why lawn care professionals in Austin, Tx use hardwood mulch in tandem with either corrugated cardboard boxes, newspapers, or oil-based weed fabric. Hardwood mulch is naturally found in Austin, is aesthetically pleasing once professionally installed, and can be purchased in different colors (Red, Brown, Natural, or Black). While it also increases moisture on plant beds, picking a darker color will increase heat absorption. We, however, do not recommended cedar mulch to be used around deciduous plants or areas with a lot of fallen leaves. Hardwood mulch can hard to clean thoroughly with rake, blower, or vacuum. As a result, expect frequent and higher overall maintenance cost when removing leaves.
Note that you may leave fallen leaves on the mulch as well. While leaves may not look as aesthetically pleasing, mixing it with the existing mulch is not unheard of and can help lessen maintenance.

Decomposed Granite

Decomposed granite is also one of the most popular rocks used as ground cover. It can increase drainage when mixed into the compost or soil. Similar to a hardwood cedar mulch, it does not protect the area against weeds or pests. When using decomposed granite on areas with a lot of leaves, expect lawn care professionals to only use rake. Using a leaf vacuum or blower will inadvertently suck or blow away the decomposed granite. Despite this, decomposed granite is still commonly used in Austin as it gives a modern look on any landscape.

Pea Gravel

Pea gravel is preferred by lawn care professionals in Austin, Tx on areas prone to fallen leaves or around deciduous plants. Unlike hardwood cedar mulch and decomposed granite, leaves on top of pea gravel beds are easy to clean with either a rake, a leaf vacuum or blower. This decreases overall cost of removing leaves on plant beds. Similar to hardwood cedar mulch and decomposed granite, pea gravel does not protect an area against weed. It is best practice to combine pea gravel with at least one other ground cover material for weed barrier. Pea gravel increases moisture as well and will need power washing once a year to remove dirt.