Save water, protect your home landscape investment

Manassas, Va. - Heat and drought stress most plants and may cause you to lose some or all of the time and investment you have put into your home landscape.

According to a recent survey of the Garden Writers Association, one-third of all households have no plan for how to conserve water in their gardens. Another 26 percent plan to stop watering all together.

The Mulch & Soil Council (MSC) encourages homeowners to surround their plants and flowers with certified mulch to help retain soil moisture during the summer's hottest and driest days.

"Mulch not only helps enhance the beauty of your landscape, it also provides many other benefits," explains Robert LaGasse, executive director of the Council. "Mulch is an ideal product to help retain moisture in the soil."

Applying mulch may seem like a chore, but once in place the product helps keep the soil cool and moist, smoothing out temperature swings during hot and dry summer conditions. Mulch also helps retain water and slows the evaporation process, which reduces the frequency plants need to be watered and conserves limited water resources.

"Unlike brick or rock that reflects the heat back onto the plant, mulch absorbs the heat," says LaGasse. "The reflected heat from brick and stone may be harmful to your plants."

LaGasse also encourages consumers to know what they are buying. "We have found some contaminated product in the market caused by inappropriate wood recycling." By selecting mulch that has been inspected, tested and certified, consumers can rest assured that the products meet accepted industry standards.

Certified mulches can be found at major retailers and garden centers across the country. They are identified by the MSC certification logo on the package. In addition, a list of more than 250 certified products is available on the MSC Web site at www.mulchandsoilcouncil. org