Mulch & Bed Maintenance

Bark mulch — commonly hemlock or fir bark in this region — does real work beyond looking tidy. A properly maintained 2–3 inch layer suppresses weed germination, holds soil moisture through our dry summer stretch, and moderates soil temperature for whatever's planted in the bed. Most residential beds benefit from a fresh top-up once a year, typically in spring before the growing season gets going.

Bed maintenance also includes clearing weeds that have taken hold, cutting a clean edge where the bed meets lawn, and keeping mulch pulled back a couple of inches from stems and trunks — piling mulch directly against woody stems traps moisture against the bark and invites rot, a common mistake in this wet climate.