Page 56 - 7166 - Rain Garden Handbook

3
50 Plant
Mulch

Mulch provides multiple benefits for rain gardens
by helping to:
• Keep the soil moist.

• Replenish organic material in the soil.
• Prevent erosion.
• Discourage weeds.

Spread 2 or 3 inches of shredded or chipped wood
mulch all throughout your rain garden—on the
bottom, the sides, and around the perimeter.
Make sure the mulch does not contain weed
seeds. Freshly cut wood chips from a good source,
such as a local arborist, are recommended.

David Hymel

King County Native Wikipedia Commons King County Native Wikipedia Commons King County Native Erica Guttman

MULCH SHOULD NOT BE:

How Much Mulch? • Grass clippings—decomposing grass clippings are a
source of excess nutrients that can harm streams and
wetlands if water flows out of the rain garden and into
About 1 cubic yard of mulch, spread 3 inches the storm drain system.
thick, will cover about 100 square feet. • Pure bark or beauty bark—bark is not as good a source

of organic material for replenishing soil.