Entrepreneur Brendan Wetzel works in the landscaping business as the owner and president of Yardley Landscaping and Paving Company. In this capacity, Brendan Wetzel provides yard clean-up services to residential and commercial clients through his Bucks County, Pennsylvania-based business.

A common part of any yard clean-up routine is adding mulch around plants. Mulch can be made from a wide range of materials, including bark, newspaper, shredded leaves, manure, rubber, and straw. When these items are spread over the soil, they suppress weed growth and act as a barrier that helps prevent heat from reaching the soil. Mulching also helps to retain soil moisture and makes flower beds more attractive.

Two general categories of mulch are organic and inorganic. Organic mulch includes bark, compost, and other materials that gradually decompose. Eventually, organic mulch will need to be replaced, but in the meantime it adds beneficial nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.

Conversely, inorganic mulch offers much longer-lasting protection. Comprised of materials such as stones and landscape fabric, inorganic mulch does not infuse the soil with any nutrients when it eventually breaks down.