Mulch – Reusing

Q: You suggest that we replace all mulch under roses. Can we reuse the old mulch elsewhere? We’ve got a ton of hardwood mulch under our roses and I can’t imagine throwing all that away.

A: I like your recycling attitude! The purpose of removing mulch under roses is to take away any source of black spot disease, which only affects roses. You can reuse it under any non-rose shrubs, like azaleas or hydrangeas, or under trees in your landscape.