It's obvious that a mulch or rock ground cover can be an aesthetically pleasing addition to your landscape. However, many property owners are not aware of the benefits that a ground cover provides for your landscape beds. A ground cover can help to retain soil moisture and regulate soil temperature, which keeps your plants insulated and prevents them from drying out in the summer. A ground cover can also help to keep weeds at bay so your plants won't have to compete for vital nutrients. By doing these things, a ground cover provides the ideal environment for the roots of your plants, which promotes their growth.

A ground cover helps to retain soil moisture.

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A ground cover can help retain the moisture in your soil by shielding it from the sun. This prevents the moisture in your soil from drying up as quickly as it would if it were directly exposed to the sun. Because your ground cover is keeping your soil moist for longer, it gives your plant roots more time to absorb the water they need from the soil. This will not only encourage plant growth but will protect your plant roots from drying out in the summer heat as well. A longer-lasting source of moisture for your plants also means that you won't need to water your plants quite as often.

A mulch or rock ground cover can also help to prevent soil erosion by protecting the soil from wind, rain, and snow.

A ground cover helps to regulate soil temperature.

Keeping your soil temperature regulated is an important part of keeping your plants healthy and growing. A ground cover can act as insulation to keep the roots of your plants at an ideal temperature. The surface of your soil can reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit under the hot summer sun, which is much too hot for your plant's roots to grow. A ground cover can keep this from happening by shielding your soil from the sun and preventing it from absorbing too much heat. In the winter, a ground cover helps to insulate your plants from rapid freezing and thawing; it also shelters your plant's roots from harsh, dry winter winds. Therefore, a mulch or rock ground cover is a great way to keep your soil cool in the summer and warm in the winter, which protects the roots of your plants.

A ground cover helps to prevent weed growth.

Installing a ground cover in your landscape beds can inhibit weeds in two main ways; firstly, the layer of mulch or rocks will cover your soil and deprive weeds of the sunlight they need to germinate. This will prevent new weeds from taking root in the first place. Secondly, bare dirt is a breeding ground for weeds. Covering your bare soil with mulch or rocks will suffocate weeds and keep them from popping through the surface. Pesky weeds will try to fight their way through, but if your ground cover is thick enough, it can help to suppress them.

Call our landscaping team to install your new ground cover today!

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If you want to keep your plants healthy and beautiful for a long time, installing mulch or rock ground coverings in your landscape beds should be a no-brainer. Our landscaping team at Lawn Works knows exactly how to provide you with your perfect ground cover. We offer many kinds of materials for ground covers, including hardwood mulch, cypress mulch, cedar mulch, river rock, and lava rock. We have been providing quality landscaping services to property owners in Louisville, KY as well as Jeffersonville, New Albany, and Sellersburg, Indiana since 2015. Call us at (812) 590-8864 to discuss your new ground cover today!