If you’ve been managing facilities for a while now, you know why we start thinking about next season early on. You can never be too prepared, and we like to make a certain plan is in place well before the season starts. Organization, planning, and knowledge are keys to making sure your external facility needs are met.
We’ll be spending the next several blog posts going over content from our Landscape Maintenance Training Manual. Each day, we will review a specific section and a series of images breaking everything down. When it comes to external facility maintenance, we’ve got your back.
Today we’re kicking things off with Landscaping Beds
Beds are to be mulched with material acceptable to the local area. There are three basic types of organic mulch: chips, bark, and pine straw. Rocks can also be used. The purpose of mulch is to keep moisture in and to keep weeds to a minimum. Mulch should never be applied at a depth of more than 4 inches, with a minimum depth of 2 inches. Mulch rings around trees of more than four inches will rot the bark and stunt the trees, possibly killing the tree with time. It also can cause sucker growth (sprouts growing from the roots that have to be hand trimmed). In colder climates where mulch does not decompose quickly it may be necessary to remove the old mulch before fresh is applied. Mulch that is applied too deep can also become breeding grounds for insects.
The mulch is to be kept free of weeds and have a good definition edge between the mulch and the surrounding turf. Mulch should be applied once a year (in the spring) in colder climates, and twice a year (in the spring and fall) in warmer climates.
There is also an aesthetic purpose for regular mulching. Fresh mulch improves curb appeal.
To calculate the amount of mulch to be used in beds, use the following formula:
Calculate the total square footage of bed(s) and multiply by the inches in decimal form (2 inches is .167 feet). The result will be the total number of cubic feet required. To obtain total cubic yards (bulk mulch is purchased by cubic yard), divide the number of cubic feet by 27 (the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard).
Example:
A bed measures 7,650 square feet. If 2 inches of mulch is required per the contract the calculation would be:
7,650 times .167 divided by 27 = 47.316 cubic yards or 48 yards rounded to the next round number.
Click here for a table with examples of mulch needed for various size beds at different depths of mulch.