Can You Put Mulch Over Grass?
Mulch can provide many benefits to your landscaping. It helps retain soil moisture, prevents erosion, and suppresses weeds. But can you put mulch over grass and what happens if you do?
Yes, mulch can be applied directly on top of grass. However, this action will end up killing a healthy lawn, because the mulch will block water and sunlight. The dead grass will eventually decompose over time and provide nutrients to the soil.
So, why might someone want to put mulch over grass? Maybe you have a small section of the yard that you want to turn into a flower bed. But removing heaps of the lawn isn’t always necessary. Let’s dive into how you can go about this process.
Mulch Basics
Landscaping mulch is a material used to cover and protect soil. It not only looks more appealing than fresh dirt, but mulch can offer many benefits in your garden.
Mulch will help the soil retain water – which will prevent flowers and plants from drying out in your garden. But it can also prevent soil erosion often caused by heavy amounts of rainfall.
There are many different types of organic mulch, but wood chips are the most popular choice. This material will break down and decompose over time – unlike inorganic mulch (rubber, rocks, or stone).
Can You Put Mulch on Top of Grass?
Even though mulch can be placed on top of grass, it’s probably not the best idea. For starters, if you ever choose to remove the mulch in the future, you will also need to take out a layer of dead grass underneath.
But covering healthy grass can also give you more work in the immediate future. Grass will continue to grow for a short period, even when covered in organic and inorganic mulch.
That means you will have grass blades poking out from this new material. As a result, you’ll need to pull out each blade of grass one by one – which will end up taking a very long time.
Other Reasons to Remove Grass
Leaving grass underneath fresh mulch can also prevent healthy plants from growing. When spreading any type of mulch, it’s essential to keep the material at least three inches away from plant roots.
You want to avoid volcano mulching – which is a landscaping technique that can be harmful to trees. Creating the proper amount of space around plant roots will allow water and other nutrients to enter the ground.
But when there’s an excessive amount of dead grass underneath the mulch, it too will also block roots. This will eventually choke out the plant and end up killing anything with grass underneath.
Can You Put Mulch Over Weeds?
Putting a fresh layer of mulch over weeds is another story. Even though a thick layer of wood chips can help suppress weeds, you will need to remove them before laying down this landscaping material.
If they are not dealt with, existing weeds will continue to grow until they break through the mulch. The end result will be a bunch of weeds in your new garden. This can even create more problems later on.
As the weeds continue to grow, your only option is to pull them out by the root. But with a 2-3 inch layer of fresh mulch, it will make weed removal much harder. You will need to dig down into the soil in order to access the root and pull it out.
How to Replace Grass with Mulch
1. Create a Border
This step will help if you’re looking to replace grass with mulch to make a flower bed. For this type of project, you’ll need to have a clear idea of how big the area will be before you begin.
Mark the grass with spray paint to create an outline. You can try using a garden hose first if you want to have a non-traditional shape. For straighter lines, use a string tied to a wooden stake.
2. Form an Edge
When forming a new edge on top of grass, it’s best to use a straight edge shovel. This tool will make it easy to cut through the soil. Begin by cutting the outside edge, roughly 1-2 inches from the spray paint line.
Digging 3 inches down will be deep enough for the edge. Continue this process on the inside, to make the inner edge. After soil is no longer attached to the ground, you can either remove it with a shovel or your hands.
3. Remove Sod
Now that you have a clear border of where the flower bed will be, you can begin digging up the grass. It’s best to use a flat head shovel for small areas. But if you’re removing a large quantity of grass, you can use a sod remover.
All you need to do is create lines in the grass with a flat head shovel. Once there are clear cut squares, the grass can be lifted up with ease. Continue this process until all of the sod has been removed from the area.
4. Plant
This step really comes down to personal preference. But I find that it helps to plant flowers before any mulch is down. The main idea is that you won’t have to dig out fresh mulch you just put down for the flower pots.
But it also helps you to avoid using too much mulch. Keep in mind that there should be some space between for the plant roots. This area should be exposed to water and oxygen to promote healthy growth.
5. Put Down Mulch
Once plants are in the ground and grass has been removed, you can finally lay down the mulch. It’s important to measure correctly before buying mulch. You will not only need to know the square footage, but factor in how thick of a layer you plan on using.
Pour the bags into piles on the fresh soil. Then use a garden rake to even out the piles. If you want an accurate measurement, try using a ruler. This will give you the exact depth of the flower bed you’re making.
Final Thoughts
This article started with a simple question: can you put mulch over grass? Technically, you can place mulch over grass and even rocks. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best idea.
Removing sod beforehand will take longer, but it will be better for your garden in the long run.
Even though grass will eventually decompose, you don’t want it to choke out plants in your flower bed. Removing grass before mulch will promote better root to soil contact for healthy plants.
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