Not so long ago, we have talked about some of the most important and used organic mulches to boost your lawn and landscape’s health and looks. However, inorganic mulches and ground covers also have their fair share of uses and functions in a landscape. Granted, they don’t bring an added value as fertilization is concerned, but they do act as weed / pests barriers. Some are used exclusively for their gorgeous look, others for their ability to keep the ground cool and the roots moist during heat waves. Today, our lawn care Edgewater, FL specialists have prepared a short guide on inorganic mulches to use this year.

Pea Gravel (Pebbles / Stones)

Stone, gravel and pebbles make the rocky mulch / ground cover we all love to see in neat, clean and well-maintained landscapes. Gravel and stones keep the soil and the roots cool and moist, but they have no nourishment properties. Our lawn care Edgewater, FL experts recommend pea gravel and rocky mulches to be used in permanent plantings as this type of ground cover is inert and long lasting.

One of its main advantages is that it can be colored as you please and textured so it can perfectly bland in your overall landscape. Sometimes gravel and stones can render the soil a little too alkaline, so it is better to ask your landscaping experts for advice before you use it on large tree plantations or flower beds.

Landscape Fabric / Plastic Film

Such ground covers are store-bought ready to be used to actually cover larger areas of the turf or large plantings such as tree areas, flower beds, vegetable gardens, and so on. In some parts of your landscape they won’t look so well, so before installing them you should have a chat with your local lawn care Edgewater, FL specialists.

The main benefit of these two inorganic mulches is that they can be applied directly over the soil and fastened to stay in place. They work very well as annual weed barriers, allowing the exchange of water and oxygen and make a good companion for organic mulches as well. Unfortunately, they don’t control perennial weeds, may need extra chemical sprays and treatments to fend off weeds or pests and some varieties are expensive.

Corrugated Cardboard

While it doesn’t look good and is used only in landscape areas receiving little to no visits, corrugated cardboard is widely used in lawn maintenance to keep off weeds and preserve the soil’s moisture and coolness during prolonged periods of heat. If you use cardboard coming from boxes or other packaging, make sure to remove plastics, labels, tape or staples. It is a cheap, easy to use, largely available ground cover used mostly to suppress turf in the areas you want to repurpose (outdoor structures, pools etc).

One can use other materials as inorganic mulch: newspapers play almost the same role as cardboard, with the added benefit that it doesn’t suppress turf. Paper by-products and scraps are also sometimes used as they are biodegradable and keep the soil’s moist and reasonable temperature. If you want to learn more about inorganic mulches, ask your lawn care Edgewater, FL experts for more details and recommendations.