Put some beauty bark down and enjoy your summer!

It's amazing how certain senses trigger emotion and memories... Certain smells for example have a way of taking you back to a place you haven't been since you were young or maybe remind you of a certain time of year.   The smell of a Christmas tree in the winter time,  a freshly cut lawn in the spring, that wonderful smell after a warm summer rain.   One smell that always lets me know it's summertime is the unmistakable smell of fresh bark in the landscape.

Of course, there are lots of reasons you would want a fresh layer of bark or mulch in your landscape during the summer.  For one, it saves you time.  Saves you time?  How can this be?   I'll tell you... One great advantage of putting beauty bark in your shrub beds is it's ability to keep those pesky weeds at bay so you can enjoy the nice weather doing things other than weeding,  which very few people enjoy... except for me!  :)

There are a number of mulch products available.  Some have advantages and disadvantages.  For example, organic mulch can be tilled into your soil to provide nutrients to your plants in the fall, but insects also like it because it provides a cool damp place to get away from the heat in the summer.  This is more problematic in other parts of the country.   Here in the Pacific Northwest, we do not really have insect problems... for the most part.  If you do, they were probably there before you put the mulch down to begin with.  Besides, who doesn't like a cute little earwig?   :)   I wouldn't let it deter you from making your yard look great for the summer.

I prefer inorganic bark mulch myself.  Commonly known as beauty bark.   Let me tell you some other advantages to applying beauty bark to your shrub beds.  It acts as erosion control during hard rains, which also prevents dirt from splashing up against your plants or your house during rain storms.   

Another advantage is that it acts as a blanket which protects your plants against freezing temperatures during the winter months.   In the summer time when it gets hot, the beauty bark lowers the temperature of the soil and retains moisture to keep your plants and trees nice and healthy.  Just don't cover your plant with it.  You should leave a little "bark ring" around your plants so the bark doesn't prevent the water from getting to the plant.

These are all practical benefits to bark and mulch.   But I think the biggest benefit to bark is how great it will make your yard look!   

It's a quick and easy way to give your landscape a fresh look for everyone to enjoy!   

More importantly, beauty bark right has drastically come down in price which makes it a cost effective way to make your landscape look great!

We have great resources for beauty bark when it comes to quality and price so give our office a call and let us give you a free quote and take advantage of the benefits beauty bark has to offer!

www.olympiclawn.com

253-261-2700

Thanks for reading the blog!

Derrik Tribble

The Lawn Psychologist