The best mulch for your garden also adds nutrients ... My favorite reason to use mulch is that it helps keep down the weeds. Anything that results in less weeding is a win-win in my book.

It does help suppress weeds for a while ... many — if not most — rock mulch users have is when they want to change or remove it. The stones work their way down into the soil below them ...

According to Stewart, new burlap can be reused to cover plants adequately for about three to four years before it starts to break down ... mulch. This should keep the bed relatively weed-free ...

Beds and borders can quickly dry out or be taken over by weeds. Using a layer of mulch across the soil surface can prevent this ... of the plant from frost. The best time to mulch entire beds ...