Many often believe that grass won’t grow through mulch. This is not entirely correct, and a consultation with one of our representatives can shed some light on this. With more than 23 years of performing cedar mulching services in North, Central and South Texas, we have seen the results proven over numerous years of recovery. It is true that thick cedar mulch will inhibit grass growth, but it is also true that a thin layer of mulch can actually aid in grass growth. The ideal depth of mulch should be around one to two inches thick. Anything over this amount will take a longer period of time for grass to overtake the mulch, but it can happen.
The density of standing vegetation will dictate the amount of cedar mulch that will be left on the ground. The older, larger thickets of Cedar trees will yield a thicker mulch. The younger and smaller Cedar will leave a lesser amount of mulch on the ground. During our site visit, we can determine areas where the density of vegetation would be beneficial to the land, but we can also let you know where areas of Cedar may be too thick to clear via a mulching machine if grass growth is your goal. Our goal is to help landowners make decisions that will aid their properties in recovery based on the individual’s needs and constraints.
Here are some after photos of some projects where we have monitored the effects of cedar mulching on grass growth over a period of time. These photos indicate recovery after mulching over a four-year time span. The density and size of the Cedar originally mulched within these areas is represented by the size of the vegetation located along the edges of the areas that were cleared in these photos. As you can see, the Cedar that is still standing is relatively young but moderate to heavy in density.
When mulched thoroughly, the cedar mulch spreads out and gets thinner and smaller. During heavy rain events, some of the mulch will move and create small dams that will slow water flow down, thus decreasing erosion. In addition to the dirt still trapped under the mulch, these little dams can trap additional valuable dirt originally created by the needle litter of the trees that once stood. Under the mulch and within these little dirt pockets created by the mulch dams, native grass seed is trapped and begins to flourish. Believe it or not, none of these areas featured had any new native seed introduced. The grass you see is actually what had already existed in the area.
Even more interesting is that most of the grasses that are returning are historical native prairie land grasses that have not been seen or allowed to flourish in the area for over a century, even though the seed base is already in place. This is mainly due to the amount of Cedar cover over an area not allowing enough light to penetrate while also robbing the ground of the moisture needed for these grasses to thrive. The mulching method does not strip the land of its organic matter but actually creates and spreads organic matter out over a larger area. This organic matter in the form of mulch actually breaks down into new topsoil while also trapping and holding moisture in place even during extensive droughts. We have seen native grasses like Blue Grama, Muhlenbergia Reverchonii, Rigens and Hiemeri, as well as Little and Big Blue Stem, return and thrive. On top of the native grasses, you will also see a return of native plant species like Frostweed, Pokeweed, and Prairie Verbena into these areas as well. This is only a portion of the species we have seen return over time.
We believe the success of grass growth is dependent on rain and good grazing practices. You will see your best recovery of native grassland if you let the Cedar mulching services be performed in rest, meaning “No Grazing” for at least a year. The native grasses will start popping up everywhere. It is best to let the grass fully mature and head out. You can speed up the natural process by physically introducing this seed or by mowing what is naturally there twice a year. We suggest mowing with a shredder once in the winter after the first couple of freezes and once in the summer when all the spring grasses have dried out from heat. In both instances, the grasses should be about knee to waist high before shredding.
Hopefully, this answers some of the questions about cedar mulching and its impact on grass growth for your property. If done in the proper areas, it’s a no-brainer to perform cedar clearing with a forestry mulcher over other clearing methods that are out there. While forestry mulching can be a bit more expensive than a traditional dozer or tree shear, you aren’t left with piles waiting to be burned, stumps that can’t be driven over, or areas stripped of all vegetation, allowing vital topsoil to erode. Instead, you are left with organic matter introduced over the ground with minimal ground disturbance that will help promote grass growth and recovery immediately after the land clearing process has been performed.
Interested in discussing cedar clearing and mulching services we perform in Texas? Contact our team today.
