A few years ago, a gardening friend suggested I place a layer of compost in my flower beds before mulching with my usual shredded bark mulch. As my garden seemed happy and required less care that ...

Many folks are now improving new and established gardens with mulch, but be wary of where you get it. It is possible to spread insects like the coconut rhinoceros beetle, sugarcane borer and fire ants ...

Some summer days -- okay, honestly, most summer days -- seem just too hot to do anything in the garden and landscape. But a couple of tasks will pay off in the long run with better landscape ...

Let’s first start with soil. It's the loose stuff on the surface of the ground that covers over half of the earth’s land surface. It’s made up of minerals, organic matter, broken rock particles, many ...

Mulching is a key garden task, but many gardeners miss the mark. Learn what mulch is, how to apply it, and what to avoid.

Compost and mulch. Both are great soil conditioners, but how do they differ? Each serves as a time-release fertilizer and insulator. When augmented with livestock and poultry manure, nutrient-rich ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Mulch is a great garden tool for so many reasons. It’s useful for insulating newly-planted perennials and ...

A practical guide to garden mulch: learn organic and inorganic types, benefits for moisture, temperature, and weeds, plus ...

A rose by any other name may still be a rose, but mulches need defining. There are 17 different materials considered on the University of California’s Statewide Integrated Pest Management website, and ...

Everybody loves a freebie: bobblehead doll giveaways at White Sox games, the candy jar on a co-worker’s desk, buy-one-get-one-free shoe sales. At this time of year, gardeners get a freebie that really ...