How To Mulch Your Garden When It Hasn't Rained

If you live in an area that has received minimal precipitation recently, you're probably worried about your plants. You know they need water, but you can't control the weather, and you may even need to conserve your own water resources. You do have some control over how your plants use the scant water they're getting from watering and any sparse rain you're experiencing. Mulch to the rescue! This versatile material can help by holding moisture in the soil. In fact, Oregon State University reports that 3 to 5 inches of mulch decreases evaporation of water from the soil by 70%.

It also helps with moisture in the soil in indirect ways, insulating the soil to keep it from getting too hot and cutting down on water runoff. Mulches made from organic materials provide plants with nutrients while helping them retain water. Your plants are also less stressed with this cozy blanket around them, protecting their roots and suppressing weeds.

You can mulch vegetable and landscape beds, as well as trees and shrubs, when no rain is in the forecast. You'll need to determine the best type of mulch for your garden. Keep in mind that inorganic mulches like rocks are less effective in dry conditions. Mulching doesn't need to be an expensive measure, and you might be able to score free mulch for your yard or garden from local government entities or arborists. You can even gather the best ingredients to use in DIY mulch from your own yard, including leaves and dry grass clippings.  

Place 3 to 5 inches of your chosen mulch around your plants — except when using lighter materials that can form a mat and become a barrier to water, such as leaves or grass clippings; in this case, use a thin 1-inch layer. To prevent rotting, avoid piling mulch around plant stems or placing it on top of plant crowns. Treat trees with 3 to 4 inches of mulch, but keep it at least 6 inches from their base. Moisture on the tree trunk can eventually rot the bark and the layers below, as well as starve the tree of oxygen. Monitor mulch around trees because it can sometimes reroute rain or irrigation water away from the tree. Next time you're worried about your plants when no rain is in the forecast, keep in mind that mulched soil retains twice as much moisture as exposed soil.