Why fall is the best time to mulch, according to gardening experts

As you’re prepping your garden for its winter slumber, you might want to add an unexpected to-do to your fall gardening checklist: mulching.

While garden mulching is often associated with spring cleanup and fresh plantings, it’s just as important to apply mulch in the fall.

Here are six things fall mulching can do for your garden:

1. Protects tender roots and plants

Consider fall mulching like tucking your garden in for its winter slumber — and helping ensure that the roots of any new fall plantings you just put down are protected from temperature extremes.

“One of the best reasons for mulch is to protect the root ball through dormancy,” says plant expert Tamara Hogan, of Fast Growing Trees.

2. Reduces the need for watering

Just like your spring and summer mulching helped keep moist