Some people seem to fluff the mulch up. When it gets too thick I once had a white fungus develop, no good. I usually have only a 1-2 inch mulch cover, add to it when it gets sparse. Bernd

Cypress, redwood and cedar mulches decompose very slowly. However, you still have to topdress these mulches every spring because they get bleached out by the sun during the summer months. To keep your flowerbeds looking good, you have to add a new layer annually. Since these don't rot very quickly, however, you'll have a build-up problem over a period of a few years.

My recommendation is to switch to natural hardwood bark (not dyed), which will break down more rapidly. Turn over the hardwood mulch in the spring with a hand cultivator, and then add just a very thin layer of new stuff on top. Your plants will benefit from the nutrients that are being added to the soil as the hardwood breaks down, and you won't have a build-up issue.

If you get fungus on the mulch it is harmless. Just breaking the mulch down into usable material for the plants like many other beneficial fungi. If the decomposing mulch is matted so it repels water, then yes, fluff it up and add on top.

To answer your questions:
Do you add new shredded wood mulch each year? Yes
How much? Just enough to dress up the bed.
Do you ever remove mulch down to bare ground? Never
Why? Because decomposing mulch helps feed the soil.

tj

I wouldn't recommend using wood mulch. It breaks down very slowly and if new wood mulch is added every year it could smother the hosta. My preference is partially decomposed bark fines (i.e. real bark). It keeps the weeds down very well. It creates a deep red/black color that contrasts nicely with the Hostas. It turns into rich wonderful garden soil by year two. ...just in time to add a new layer of bark fines.

I should note that here in are market landscapers refer to this as 'Dark Bark Fines'. I can pick up a full truck load for $19.

Wow, that is a good price, $19/truck! You must have a mill around which has bark waste. I can only get mulches for $3.70/ 2 cft bag at the big box stores. Truck load wise it comes about to the same price, but bags are better transportable for me. I agree that smaller mulch is better, also because slugs can not hide underneath during daytime. I will probably use 30 of those bags = 2 cubic yards this year.
Bernd

I am going to re-mulch my garden paths with new mulch this year. As for mulching my garden areas where the hostas grow,I rarely add all new mulch. For one thing,my garden has a lot of steep hills and it would be hard,as well as dangerous if I were to fall down into my plants! I occasionally add a little to replace mulch that has gone away,due to washing down the hill,and decomp. I leave a lot of the leaves among my hostas also. Free compost. That's my 2 cents worth. Phil

Yeah, um, $19 a truckload.... SOOOO not happening here. In fact, I don't even know of a place that sells it in bulk. I have to drive 20 miles just to get it in bags, and I live in the metro area! And, I paid $5 for a 2 cuft bag! I use it around my ICU garden.... for the few minis I have and the plants that need to grow up before I put them in with the more mature hosta.

Believe me, if I could, I would switch to bark fines.... I like the look, it holds its color, doesn't have the drawbacks of cocoa bean mulch, etc.

But, if you consider that to do my entire garden, that'd take about 175-200 bags of mulch, it'd be a lot of money and work to replace it.

Around here, it seems buying in bulk is cost prohibitive because of delivery fees. I get cypress on sale at Home Depot in the spring for $1.38-1.75 a bag. So, last year, where I used 80 bags (essentially 6 cubic yards) to freshen up the old mulch and start new beds, I paid $110. The delivery fees alone would have been around $40 (and that's for a place 2 miles down the road!). And nowhere I know sells mulch for less than $10 a yard! Plus, I think bulk mulch is harder to work with.... shovel it into the wheelbarrow, walk the wheelbarrow, shovel it out of the wheelbarrow, return and repeat. With bags, I can get about 1/2 a yard in my wheelbarrow, take the bags right to where I need them and dump them out. WAY less work.

I guess I do have concern about the mulch smothering my hostas, so maybe each year, I'll try to fluff a section or two just to make sure there's not too much build up.

Thanks everyone for your opinions!

Given the size of my entire yard, I have started using free mulch. I get chipped hardwood from the city. You can get an entire truck load for free and there is no delivery. This year I planned ahead and had some delivered in October. I am letting it age a bit and will put it out in April.

It does not look as nice as the bagged mulch but I would need so many bags it would be cost prohibitive. Also, Melissa is correct that it is a lot of work loading the wheelbarrow, wheeling it where you want it, and unloading it. Luckily I have a 12 year old who loves working in the garden.

I never remove mulch. In our hot humid summers it breaks down pretty quickly (even though it is chipped wood!). I also want the nutrients to go back in the soil since I do not fertilize regularly (if at all). In the spring I go around and add a very thin layer to what is already there if it is needed (it usually is). Consequently I do not worry about smothering the hostas.

We don't remove it here, either. It decomposes and we just add more on top.

Some of the suburbs try to keep it out of the landfills, so grind garden debris into mulch. It's free to their residents, but they have to pick it up. In Dallas, the arboretum sells it for $20. a truck load, I've heard.

bkay

I have a good size hosta woodland garden, and I refresh the bed a little every year but not much. I try and get free mulch if I can , is this available to you anywhere.

The mulch does help protect and keeps plants with moisture during the hot summer months.

I would never go mulchless or take it out.. why? I do not add as much as you are talking I just spot add as I need too, but my hostas are pretty much filled in so you are not noticing the bark as much I guess.

good luck
Diane from Iowa

Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta Woodland Gardens

I use mulch on all of my ground beds (not the raised beds), most of which are somewhat shaded. The mulch does fade some, so I do freshen up the mulch when needed. I have them on a schedule, so I only need to freshen a couple each year - cuts down on cost and work of trying to keep up with all of them at once.

I purchase my mulch in bulk from a local nursery. I have two options - delivered or I can get my own with our truck. If I need several cubic yards, I have it delivered - they usually charge an extra $20 fee. If I only need one or two cubic yards, I go get it myself. I park the truck next to my beds if possible to eliminate the wheelbarrow. It's a lot of work, but it always looks so nice when done that I would never go without it.

I try to keep the mulch back from the hostas several inches - the leaf span - to try and prevent any fungas, etc. from damaging the plants.