Spotlight Living Space Why fall is the best time to mulch, according to gardening experts Lisa Milbrand RealSimple.com Oct 12, 2025 Oct 12, 2025 Updated Jan 6, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save As you’re prepping your garden for its winter slumber, you might want to add an unexpected to-do to your fall gardening checklist: mulching.kAm(9:=6 82C56? >F=49:?8 :D @7E6? 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 DAC:?8 4=62?FA 2?5 7C6D9 A=2?E:?8D[ :E’D ;FDE 2D :>A@CE2?E E@ 2AA=J >F=49 :? E96 72==]k^Am Top off your garden with more mulch this fall to help protect your plants. Getty Images kAmw6C6 2C6 D:I E9:?8D 72== >F=49:?8 42? 5@ 7@C J@FC 82C56?ik^Amk9am`] !C@E64ED E6?56C C@@ED 2?5 A=2?ED k^9amkAmr@?D:56C 72== >F=49:?8 =:<6 EF4<:?8 J@FC 82C56? :? 7@C :ED H:?E6C D=F>36C — 2?5 96=A:?8 6?DFC6 E92E E96 C@@ED @7 2?J ?6H 72== A=2?E:?8D J@F ;FDE AFE 5@H? 2C6 AC@E64E65 7C@> E6>A6C2EFC6 6IEC6>6D]k^Am People are also reading… 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard addresses women's basketball transfers, Bill Fennelly's future What Iowa State star Addy Brown said in transfer portal announcement What Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic said about future after Tennessee game A year after Trump's DOGE cuts, workers whose lives were upended question what was saved Iowa State's three key freshmen say they're returning. What it means for next season Report: Iowa native Cyclone Aili Tanke planning on entering transfer portal Freshman Freya Jensen changes mind on transfer portal, returning to Iowa State Former five-star prospect departs Iowa women's basketball program after freshman season Former Miss Iowa Basketball, Hawkeye sophomore announces entrance to transfer portal Trump says he has 'no problem' with Russian oil tanker bringing relief to Cuba despite blockade Florida hospital drops its lawsuit against woman after she finally leaves facility 3 burning questions for Iowa State men’s basketball entering the offseason ‘Stay Low, Shoot High’: How Taylor McCabe trusted the process, transformed herself into the player Iowa needed Gas prices soar past $4 on average for a gallon of regular in the US, the highest since 2022 kAm“~?6 @7 E96 36DE C62D@?D 7@C >F=49 :D E@ AC@E64E E96 C@@E 32== E9C@F89 5@C>2?4J[” D2JD A=2?E 6IA6CE %2>2C2 w@82?[ @7 u2DE vC@H:?8 %C66D]k^Amk9ama] #65F46D E96 ?665 7@C H2E6C:?8k^9amkAmyFDE =:<6 J@FC DAC:?8 2?5 DF>>6C >F=49:?8 96=A65 <66A >@:DEFC6 :? E96 D@:=[ J@FC 72== 2?5 H:?E6C >F=49 244@>A=:D96D E96 D2>6 E2D<]k^Amk9amb] w6=AD C65F46 D@:= 6C@D:@?k^9am kAm#2:?[ H:?5[ 2?5 H:?E6C DE@C>D 42? D9:7E 2== E96 E@AD@:= 2H2J 7C@> J@FC 82C56?[ H9:49 42? 56AC:G6 J@FC A=2?ED @7 ?FEC:6?E\C:49 D@:=] p 8@@5 =2J6C @7 >F=49 42? 96=A 3F776C E96 67764ED @7 DE@C>D 2?5 <66A J@FC D@:= H96C6 :E 36=@?8D]k^Am k9amc] u665D J@FC A=2?ED k^9amkAmx7 J@F FD6 2 ?2EFC2= >F=49 E92E 42? 564@>A@D6 :?E@ E96 D@:=[ DF49 2D DEC2H[ D9C65565 =62G6D[ A:?6 ?665=6D[ H@@5 49:AD 2?5 32C<[ :E H:== 8C25F2==J C6=62D6 ?FEC:6?ED :?E@ E96 D@:= E92E’== 96=A 7665 J@FC A=2?ED 2== J62C =@?8]k^Am k9amd] rC62E6D 2 A@=:D965 =@@< k^9amkAm“|F=49:?8 :? E96 72== :D 2 8C62E H2J E@ 255 D@>6 A@=:D9 E@ E96 =2?5D42A6 365D E92E >2J 92G6 5@C>2?E DA@ED 7C@> A6C6??:2= A=2?ED[” D2JD r2E6 $:?8=6E@?[ 5:C64E@C @7 56D:8? 2E q@H6C U2>Aj qC2?49]k^Amk9ame] !C@G:56D D96=E6C 7@C H:=5=:76k^9am kAmx?D64ED E92E @G6CH:?E6C :? @C82?:4 >2E6C:2=D[ :?4=F5:?8 3FEE6C7=:6D 2?5 >@E9D[ D@>6 366 DA64:6D 2?5 7:C67=:6D[ H:== 2AAC64:2E6 E96 4@KJ D96=E6C J@FC >F=49 AC@G:56D]k^Am k9am%:AD 7@C 72== >F=49:?8k^9amkAmw6C6’D H92E J@F D9@F=5 5@ E@ 6?DFC6 J@FC 82C56? >F=49 :D @? A@:?E]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mu@4FD @? E96 ?6H6DE A=2?ED 7:CDEk^DEC@?8mk^AmkAm“*@F 42? >F=49 E96 C6DE @7 E96 82C56?[ 3FE E96 >@DE AC@5F4E:G6 >F=49:?8 H:== 36 2C@F?5 J@F?8 A=2?ED[” w@82? D2JD]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8m(665 2?5 ACF?6 367@C692?5k^DEC@?8mk^Am kAm%92E AC@E64E:G6 >F=49 2=D@ 42? <66A J@FC H665 C@@ED 962=E9J 2?5 DEC@?8 — ?@E 6I24E=J H92E J@F H2?E 7@C ?6IE DAC:?8 H96? J@F’C6 5@:?8 J@FC AC6\D62D@? 4=62? FA] “!CF?:?8 AC:@C E@ =2J:?8 2 ?6H =2J6C @7 >F=49 H:== 8:G6 E96 36DE >2?:4FC65 2AA62C2?46[” $:?8=6E@? D2JD]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8m&D6 H@@5\32D65 @C @E96C @C82?:4 >F=496Dk^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmw@82? C64@>>6?5D FD:?8 >F=496D =:<6 A:?6 DEC2H[ H@@5 49:AD @C @E96C @C82?:4 >2E6C:2=D[ H9:49 42? 564@>A@D6 2?5 255 ?FEC:6?ED E@ E96 D@:=[ 2>@?8 @E96C 36?67:ED]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mq6 42C67F= H:E9 A=246>6?Ek^DEC@?8mk^AmkAm*@F H2?E E@ <66A >F=49 2E =62DE E9C66 :?496D 7C@> E96 32D6 @7 J@FC EC66 ECF?<D[ 2?5 2=D@ 2H2J 7C@> E96 DE6>D @7 A=2?ED[ w@82? D2JD] “x7 E96 >F=49 4C66AD FA E96 32D6 @7 J@FC EC66D[ :E 42? 4@G6C FA E96 C@@E 7=2C6[ H9:49 :D G6CJ :>A@CE2?E 7@C 4@>>F?:42E:@? E9C@F89@FE E96 EC66]”k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mt?DFC6 E92E J@F >F=49 566A 6?@F89k^DEC@?8mk^AmkAm*@F D9@F=5 92G6 EH@ E@ E9C66 :?496D @7 >F=49 @? J@FC 82C56? E@ 96=A J@FC 82C56? C62A E96 36?67:ED] *@F’== H2?E E@ >62DFC6 E96 56AE9 @7 E96 >F=49 4FCC6?E=J @? J@FC 82C56?[ 2D J@F >2J @?=J ?665 E@ 2AA=J 2?@E96C :?49 :7 J@F DE:== 92G6 >F=49 4@G6C286 7C@> J@FC DAC:?8 2AA=:42E:@?]k^Am Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at www.realsimple.com. 0 Comments Related to this story Give caterpillars a 'soft landing' under your trees. The ecosystem will thank you Most well-intentioned gardeners give a lot of thought to planting the "right" plants to nourish pollinators and other wildlife. But have you g… The world's tallest sunflower blooms in an Indiana backyard as a tribute to Ukraine Guinness World Records confirmed Alex Babich's sunflower, nicknamed "Clover," as the tallest ever measured. How to turn down the volume and protect wildlife in your yard and garden The battleground noises that surround birds, squirrels, rabbits, frogs, insects and other wildlife aren't merely nuisances; they disrupt the b… A little bit of farm, a little bit of suburbia: That's the recipe for Agritopia Outside of Phoenix in suburban Gilbert, one farming family decided over 10 years ago to get ahead of development and urban sprawl by developin…
Give caterpillars a 'soft landing' under your trees. The ecosystem will thank you Most well-intentioned gardeners give a lot of thought to planting the "right" plants to nourish pollinators and other wildlife. But have you g…
The world's tallest sunflower blooms in an Indiana backyard as a tribute to Ukraine Guinness World Records confirmed Alex Babich's sunflower, nicknamed "Clover," as the tallest ever measured.
How to turn down the volume and protect wildlife in your yard and garden The battleground noises that surround birds, squirrels, rabbits, frogs, insects and other wildlife aren't merely nuisances; they disrupt the b…
A little bit of farm, a little bit of suburbia: That's the recipe for Agritopia Outside of Phoenix in suburban Gilbert, one farming family decided over 10 years ago to get ahead of development and urban sprawl by developin…
