Winter Protection Mulching Mulching gives an orderly look to the garden, cuts down on weeding, and helps maintain uniform soil moisture. Organic mulches add some nutrients and humus to the soil as they decompose and improve soil tilth and moisture holding capacity. Most organic mulches should be applied after plants are well established and when there is reasonably good soil moisture. Pine bark nuggets, pine needles, compost, and shredded leaves are commonly used organic mulches for perennial beds.
Additional mulch is added in early spring to maintain the desired mulch depth.
Watering Soil type, plant species as well as growth stage and temperature influence watering frequency. Plants grown in a clay soil that has been properly watered may need to be watered only once a week. Plants grown in a sandy soil may need watering several times a week. Water requirements will vary with the time of year, amount of sunlight or shade, plant growth, and other environmental factors. Most plants need 1 inch of water per week, but may require more when flowering or when exposed to high temperatures or windy conditions.