Organic mulch, two to three inches deep, never has to be removed unless you want to plant something new. Then you just scrape it back and dig your hole and then put the mulch back in place. The mulch will decompose over time (depending on what type it is determines how long it will take) and you can apply new mulch on top of it. It helps keep the soil cool and moist and the decomposition also helps the soil texture and adds a little fertility.

The only care you need to take is to be sure it's not up against the stems of your plants. It makes a wonderful hiding place for critters of all sorts that think you're gardening just for them to dine on your plants. Just keep it a couple of inches away and you'll be fine.

Ever seen a weed growing through a crack in a concrete sidewalk? Your plants won't have any trouble getting through the mulch next year unless you apply it too thickly. By then it will have probably shrunk by half anyway and you may want to add a thin layer on top after the ground warms up in spring.

Good luck with your new adventure and be aware that it can become an obsession! LOL

Sandy

The above post pretty much sums it up, I don't have any advice to add.

I use leaves that I collect in the fall - an abundant resource, and they're F-R-E-E. They decompose quickly, thereby enriching the soil, and did I mention they're F-R-E-E. I don't even both shredding them, I just rake them onto the beds or have DH blow them onto the beds. I also collect the neighbor's big bags that are put out for trash pickup - the lawn services shred them, so I use that for the front of the house.

If I need a couple bags during the season for whatever reason, I prefer pink bark based on the look of it, but any of the hardwood mulches are fine.

My advise would be to apply your mulch in spring after the perennials have emerged. Once you can see your plants, it's easy to work around them. First broadcast some alfalfa pellets, compost (if you have it) and milorganite or 10-10-10. If you really want to do a good job, put 5 layers of newspaper down first. Just fold it and tear it so it fits into the areas between plants. Over the paper put chopped leaves, compost, grass clippings or bagged mulch 3-4 inches deep. No weeds, excellent moisture retention, cool roots. In winter mulch prevents the freeze/thaw cycles that damage plants. Next spring same thing or you can just mound on more leaves/bark if you you have a good base and think you can skip the paper.

You can apply mulch now but it's a little harder to get around and under mature plants.

I am a lazy gardener....so I say apply mulch anytime you can. Spring is best....but now is great too.
But....don't even THINK of putting down that landscape cloth under your mulch! It will make any work in your beds much more difficult....and your plants won't like it either.
I have too many leaves to pile them all on my beds un-shredded. But dry leaves piled into a tall garbage can and then shredded in the can with a string trimmer...used like a stick blender are the best thing!
One of my dumber new gardening friends hired someone to rake off all the mulch and replace it one spring...because the mulch was dirty.
Yes....she's blond.
Linda C

This has maybe not been stated clearly enough in previous posts, so I'll overstate it here to make up for lost time.

Keep the mulch away from the crowns of your plants. Picture them coming up in the spring in unmulched circles. You don't want the mulch to touch the stems, and you want the sun to reach the soil over the plants next spring, so it warms up and signals the plants to start growing.

I mulch upto and over almost all my plants....in the spring my garden is a sea of leaves and I don't step foot in it until all pretty well has emerged.
Some plants still have a residue of lest year's stems so they pinpoints some locations for me....but mainly my gardens look like the forest floor. I figure it works for the forest....why not for my garden....and for 35 years is has, before that the property didn't have enough trees to be an issue.
If there is something that is slow to emerge, about may 20th I pay pull back the mulch....examples might be platycoten or perennial hibiscus, but I find the main problem is plants waking too early and getting bit by last frosts. Or not beiung properly protected from drying winter winds or frost heaving before the snow flies and covers it all. By the time they make it through the mulch...it should be safe, but not always by any means.
Nope....I mulch upto and over the crowns. Don't seem to have any issues with crown rot or other stuff.
If you leave your plants in little mulchless circles, don't you ever have frost heaves or issues with something breaking dormancy too early?
Linda C

Mulching over the crowns of plants is only a concern with woody plants - mulch held against woody stems or trunks does retain too much moisture and can promote rots and fungal problems. But for the majority of herbaceous perennials, it is not a concern. And is often advised in colder climates for just the same reasons Linda mentions above.

I'm with Linda and GardenGal - I don't get concerned about the mulch going over the top of the perennials. I just blow or dump leaves all over the beds. Like Linda mentioned - take a look at the forests, where some of the most glorious flora is found. No one makes sure that all the fallen leaves and plant debris doesn't get all over the crowns of the plants...

I think if one mulches during the season, though, then yes keep the mulch away from the base of the plants. But for fall or early spring mulching, just have at it.

I've never had anything rot out on me or fail to come up because I'm a dumper. :)

That said, I do think what one choose to mulch with comes into play here. Leaves are on the light side as is straw (regular and pine). Wood mulch (shredded and chips) is heavier, but not very heavy. If one is using something heavier like compost, then yes I think it would be more of an issue to keep it off the crowns of the plants.

When I spread my compost in the fall, everything gets buried. I've never even made an attempt to keep it away from the crown of plants and have never had a problem. I could possibly see how mulching deep (3-4 inches) might pose a problem at other times of the year if you allow the mulch to pile up right next to a plant. If you're only doing an inch or two, I think you would probably be safe.

Kevin