Some leaves of birches, willow and tulip trees often yellow and drop during extended drought. Newly planted trees benefit greatly from a ring of mulch around the base of the tree. All trees and shrubs should be mulched at planting time to aid them in becoming established. A mulched area around the base of trees and shrubs makes mowing easier and helps prevent mower damage to the plant. The material used for mulching is perhaps less important than the simple fact that the plants are mulched.
Most coarse materials are satisfactory.
Avoid materials such as sawdust, which packs tightly, and those too unsightly in the landscape. Vegetables and annual flower gardens. The primary reason for mulching vegetable and flower gardens is to conserve soil moisture. Crops most practical to mulch are beans, peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes, vine crops and other long-term summer crops with large amounts of foliage. Long-term crops started in the cool season, including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes, will also yield better when they are mulched.