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If you are part of the third of Americans 50-plus who love gardening, you probably know it’s the season to plan your garden, prepare the space and get planting. But don’t sit back admiring

your work yet; you’re not done. There’s an important next step that will save you time, money, and water: mulching. WHY TAKE THE TIME AND ENERGY TO MULCH? KEEPS THE WATER IN. A ground cover,

mulch keeps the soil moist so plants and shrubs thrive.  “By putting down a layer of mulch, you can retain soil moisture, which is good for your plants, and it's also good for water

conservation,” says David Mizejewski, naturalist, television personality and a spokesperson for the National Wildlife Federation.  GET YOUR YARD READY REGULATES SOIL TEMPERATURE. Mulch also

provides insulation for the soil by moderating the soil temperature so it's not too hot for plants, shrubs or trees. Lou Meyer, mid-Atlantic arborist at The Davey Tree Expert Company,

compares mulch to insulating a home. Mulch acts like a blanket covering the ground, he says.  REDUCES WEEDS.  Mulch keeps weeds at bay. "If you mulch regularly once or twice a year,

it'll help suppress weeds and reduce the need for weeding maintenance in your garden," says Cooper Schlegel, product manager for live goods for W. Atlee Burpee & Co. THE TWO

MAJOR TYPES OF MULCH There are two categories of mulch: organic and inorganic.  Mike Belleme ORGANIC MULCH. This type of mulch is made of natural materials, such as pine needles, pine bark

nuggets, coconut chips, leaves, straw, shredded wood or wood chips. Organic mulch decomposes over time and adds nutrients to the soil.  Meyer is in favor of using organic mulch because it

returns nutrients to your soil that keep plants and shrubs healthy. Mulch reduces soil compaction, when soil particles are pressed tightly together, creating looser soil for better drainage

and water absorption.  Mike Belleme INORGANIC MULCH. This type of mulch includes plastic sheeting, landscape fabric, gravel and stones. Plastic sheeting and landscape fabric are typically

used for a large area, such as a lawn that you want to convert to a garden, says Schlegel, who is a fan of using this in his garden.  “I prefer to put landscape fabric down just because it

cuts out any weeds, weed seeds or plant fragments that may still be in the soil,” he says.  The problem with plastic is that it disintegrates over time, contaminating the soil with

microplastics that are difficult to remove, according to a 2023 study published in _Environmental Sciences Europe_. “If you’re hand weeding right around the holes you put your plants in, it

can rip a little bit and you can find pieces in your garden in future years," Schlegel says.