Mulching your planting area is common; most mulch decomposes with time. But what to do with old mulch if it is left undecomposed? Here is the answer! Old mulch benefits your yard by acting like a natural fertilizer and adding vital nutrients to the soil when decomposing. But sometimes, it becomes necessary to dispose of the bedding of new plants.
The existing mulch can tie up the nitrogen into the soil when they decompose and prevent the growth of plants. So it is important to consider the nature of mulch while mixing it into the soil in your planting area. However, disposing of old mulch is relatively easy; this guide will discuss what to do with old mulch, so keep reading!
What to Do With Old Mulch in Spring
Mulch is vital for the shrubs throughout the year and works even when the plants are dormant. But what to do with the old mulch produced in the flower and vegetable beds during winter? The plants died due to frost, negligence, and harvesting of crops. But then the old much is still viable, and you can use it again.
In spring, most people plant new seasonal flowers, vegetables, and other ornamental options in their yards. They prepare the land for this purpose, and if old mulch is on the ground, it may create hindrances. So you can collect the old mulch with a rake or lose the upper layer for its better working. Mulch takes time to decompose, so be patient and see its results on the soil.
Is Old Mulch Still Good to Use
Vegetable and flower beds don’t have plants in winter, but the layer of mulch will protect the soil from harsh weather and many other things during fall. But you may work hard for your yard’s sustainability so that the soil’s fertility remains safe. Gusty winds and rain can affect the soil, especially in winter when the sunlight does not provide enough support.
The old mulch protects the soil appreciably, even if the mulch does not decompose properly. It is still suitable for your yard and can be used after bedding. However, it is important to determine the mulch’s condition; fortunately, there are many ways to know whether it is still usable.
How to Determine If Old Mulch Can Be Reused
Scoop out mulch into the hands and start moving it. It is no longer functional if it breaks down into small fine particles and looks like dirt. You should replace it! You can use the mulch; if it feels good and looks new, you can put it down. Reuse this mulch until it doesn’t remain functional. But remember that even if your mulch looks good enough or new, it remains functional in the beds for up to six months. So, replace it!
There is an exception if the plants in the garden faced some disease last year; they can trace them to the mulch. It is good to replace or remove the mulch from the beds so that the new beds remain disease-free. Remember to dispose of the affected mulch properly. However, the mulch disposal is based on the rules of your area. Check with your town officials and dispose of the diseased mulch safely.
How to Reuse Old Mulch
You can rake the old mulch and keep it aside for later use if it is not decomposing appreciably. Once you prepare the beds for new plants, spread this old mulch. You can also get it out of the way with a shovel and collect it in a dumping bag or on a tarp and dispose of it. You can add this old much into a compost to increase the nutrients and apply it in your new vegetable and flower beds with a spade.
Now you can understand why raking the old mulch or spreading it with compost in the garden is good. You can reuse it, but raking and spreading old mulch wastes time, money, and energy. Before making any decision, check the mulch properly, and disposing of the mulch is challenging.
Tips for Reusing Old Mulch
Old mulch is beneficial for the soil as it adds vital nutrients after decomposing. You can use this old mulch effectively with the following tips:
- Pests like to hide in mulch during winter. So don’t use old mulch with infected plants, wilt disease, or early blight infections.
- The fad and less vibrant new mulch are also valuable. It will become its brown color when you use a mulch renovator to bring it back to its old state.
- Rake the old mulch with a rake so that the soil can breathe.
- Apply water on mulch regularly to go deep into the roots.
- Don’t add new mulch on the hard surface of the old mulch.
Lose the old mulch whenever you notice compactness on the top layer of the mulch.
What to Do With Old Mulch You Can’t Use
Let the mulch spread on the ground if it decomposes during winter because it improves the soil. The old mulch will serve the soil with vital nutrients and make amendments with compost. It is an organic matter, and get a new mulch for replacement if the old mulch decomposes.
However, if you want to prepare new beds, collect the old mulch at a side with a rake. You can also collect it into a bag or transfer it on a tarp if it comes your way. But you can do it when the mulch is not degraded too much, so determine its state before deciding what to do with old mulch.
How to Dispose of Old Mulch According to Type of Mulch
There are various types of mulch you may come across, and they have different ways of disposal according to their type. Here are some mulches and their tips for their disposal, so let’s look at them:
What to Do With Old Dyed Mulch
It depends on which type of dye you use and its source because sometimes dyed mulch can cause a toxic effect on the plants. So be careful about the dyed mulch and research the source of the dye. However, dyed mulch is produced from recycled wood, which seems environmentally friendly. But mulch you may get from recycled wood contains a lot of CCA, harming humans, plants, and animals.
You can treat this recycled wood and prevent biodegradation. But it may take your time and effort. The good idea is to dispose of the dyed mulch, check the guidelines of your local municipal authority, and dispose of it. It is pretty sure wherever you live that, you can dispose of dyed mulch in the yard waste bin. The good idea is to box the dyed mulch and take it to a waste management facility for disposal.
What to Do With Old Bark Mulch
The 100% wood mulch also proves very helpful for your planting area, and if you have it, use alternative methods rather than throwing it into the trash. You can dispose of the untreated wood mulch naturally through composting. But most experts are against adding wood mulch or wood chips to compost as it takes time for decomposition.
It can also tie oxygen which is important for breaking down the matter, but you can use the bark mulch in compost in two ways and fasten the process:
First: You can add a nitrogen source into the compost pile as it can help decompose the matter. Most experts recommend using a balanced carbon and nitrogen ratio of about 30:1. But when you add more wood mulch, then increase the nitrogen ratio for this addition. It is important to increase nitrogen to maintain balance.
Second: You can also let the wood mulch in place for decay if your plants have deep roots. These deep roots help the plants reach enough nitrogen into the soil. Because the upper layer may experience a lack of nitrogen due to the wood mulch, so don’t leave wood mulch if the roots of the plants are not deep.
What to Do With Old Organic Mulch
Organic mulch contains living material, leaves, grass, straws, compost, pine needles, or shredded bark. Organic mulch is a big source of nutrients and contains vital things that can help the soil to remain healthy. It also invites earthworms, which are natural helpers for the aeration of the soil and reduce the soil’s compactness. Reuse the organic mulch for the betterment of the soil.
When the oil mulch is not decomposed and gains a dirt-like texture, you can use organic mulch. Use a rack, loose the old upper mulch, and apply a fresh layer. That’s all! But remember that it stays within three to four inches of depth. You may lead the soil to fungus, pest infestation, root rot, and other natural phenomena.
What to Do With Straw Mulch
Straw mulch is the remaining grain and cereal crop. You can differentiate straw mulch from its hay as it remains of rye, barley, or wheat’s hollow stalks. These straws don’t contain seeds and help prevent weed growth in the thriving season. It provides a great way to work less in the ground and gives you a beautiful golden yard.
Straws are a great thing not only for mulching but also excellent for compost. You can cover your plants and vegetable beds with a pile and thick straw mulch. It is a huge nutrient source and provides a rich compost to apply in your garden for the upcoming season. You can use a bale of straw and create a compost pile for your farm, which is full of nutrients.
The bags of straws are readily available in the hardware and tractor supply stores. They cost up to $5 to $10 per bag. However, this price range may vary according to availability and type of hey.
What to Do With Plastic Mulch
Plastic mulch is used in plasticulture, control weed production, and conserve water for landscaping or crop production. It is one of the best mulching for different vegetables and plants to thrive in a weed-free environment. Most plastic mulches are a barrier for methyl bromide, a strong chemical that depletes the soil’s ozone.
There are slits or holes in the plastic sheet, and the crops grow through them. Plastic mulch is used in conjunction with drip irrigation, and different color of plastic mulches affects the plants’ growth. However, it has wide use in the corp industry to grow vegetables, and millions of acres are cultivated under these plastic mulches.
There are different uses for plastic mulches. If you have, then take advantage of them as they can:
- Prevent the weed growth.
- Useful for vegetables and flower beds.
- Save your plants from severe weather conditions.
- Black polyethylene tarps are more effective for plastic mulch as they help to flow moisture on the beds.
- Allow air to pass throughout the tarp.
- Suppress the weeds.
Increase the warmth of the soil
However, they have holes, but gardeners cut some holes in the back for proper airflow and also pile organic mulch on the top for better results. Most gardeners use a combination of organic mulch with plastic mulch, as plastic mulch can have dangerous effects on the soil after decomposition. At the same time, the organic combination overcomes this danger with good nutrients after decomposition.
What to Do With Green Mulch
Mulching is difficult, but you can get excellent results with little effort and knowledge. You cannot underestimate the impact of old mulch on your lawn. Green mulch proves an economical way to maintain the health of your garden. Green mulch is very effective for your garden or landscape, and it includes green leaves, grass clippings and flowers.
Spread this green mulch into the entire area to decompose with time and add vital nutrients to the soil. Fill the space with plants so that the mulch will produce naturally, and it is the best way instead of adding new mulch every year. It means less grass and less mulch, so increase the plant and grass growth rate by adding green mulch to your planting area.
Final words
The mulch is of different types and requires different ways of disposal. So it is good to keep them separate so that further use, disposal, or recycling becomes easy. However, the great idea of disposing of old mulch is to turn it into compost. Because compost plays a vital part in healthy plants and adding vital minerals to the soil. I hope this guide is helpful for you and you are now able to make the right decision about the old mulch in your garden. So good luck!
FAQs
1. Should I Remove Old Mulch?
It is an unnecessary thing to try to get rid of old mulch. The old mulch is beneficial for your lawn when it breaks down and adds vital nutrients and organic matter to the soil. If you remove old mulch yearly, it is extra work and a waste of money.
2. How Long Does It Take to Decompose Mulch?
In 4 to 7 years, the mulch takes to decompose, and in this duration, it completely breaks down. However, this time of decomposition may vary due to some factors such as weather, temperature, sunlight, etc.
3. How Do You Refresh Old Mulch?
Remove the weeds and leaves, and also keep the mulch clean. Lose the layer of mulch with a rake as it becomes compact with time. Spray water regularly so that the dust will be removed from the mulch and replace the mulch that may be displaced.
4. When Should You Not Mulch?
Mulching in early fall is good but don’t mulch in late fall. When you mulch in early fall, it insulates the ground and prevents dormancy. Moreover, the mulch helps the plants to survive the cold in winter.
5. What Happens if You Don’t Use Mulch?
Mulch is a material that will retain moisture, prevent corrosion, control weeds, and regulate the temperature of the soil. Plant roots will suffer due to exposure to soil and need more water. Sunlight directly affects the soil, and bare parts become an open invitation for the weeds. So the use of mulch prevents all of these issues.