Mulching is very important in rose gardening because it not only helps retain moisture in the soil but also prevent soil erosion. Rose mulch also help inhibits weed growth so you don’t have to deal with weeding problem so frequently.

Weeds are a serious threat and competition for nutrients, water, sun as well as air. They can also bring disease and pest problems to your roses. With a nice layer of mulch, you can be rest assured that the weed seeds will not be able to germinate.

Rose mulch is basically just a layer of organic material. You can use inorganic material too but organic mulch are better and you can find them easily. They can either be compost, shredded leaves, wood chips, bark chips or even cocoa bean hulls. Another good thing about organic rose mulch is that they add organic matter to the soil as they decompose.

Shredded bark mulch are available in a variety of colors but if you want natural looking mulch, choose the non dyed version. Shredded bark mulch will break down over time and adding nutrients to the soil.

Inorganic rose mulch such as crushed rock, shredded rubber or pea gravel can be quite difficult to remove. Landscape fabric is perfect if you don’t plan to move your plants around. The water and air will flow into the soil but weeds will not be able to grow on it. If you don’t like the color of the fabric, you can always disguise it with some organic mulch.

If you’re planning to use black plastic sheets as mulch because they are cheaper, DO NOT do it! Black plastic sheets can heat the soil and suffocates the roots of your plants.

You can easily find mulch sold in bulk at most garden centers. Be sure to add a new layer of organic mulch every year as the bottom layer decomposes.