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If you’re mulching in the fall, aim to lay down the material right after the first frost, which will vary by climate. Late October and early November are good time ranges to aim for. Try to lay down your mulch after a light rainfall to lock in moisture for root growth through the winter.

A well-maintained lawn has the most ROI when it comes to landscaping. Other enhancements, such as building a deck or patio and adding a front walkway, follow suit, but aiming to enhance the basics is where your home can truly shine and increase its profitability. Not only does it increase curb appeal, but it sets potential homebuyers up for landscaping success when they have a healthy, clean slate of grass to begin with.

A light layer of mulch can help protect a tree, retain moisture, and keep the soil healthy. However, it’s important to avoid over-mulching or piling the mulch up around the trunk of a tree, a practice notoriously called “volcano mulching.” That piled mulch can increase the chances of rot and disease on the tree trunk as well as overwhelming the soil, which needs access to a certain amount of air. Topped trees have it hard enough: mulch sparingly while they heal.

Mulch is made from natural materials, which will break down and add nutrients to your soil for better plant and soil health, so removing old mulch is unnecessary before putting down new mulch. However, if you live in a particularly moist area, it’s possible that the old mulch will harbor fungus or mold, which can hurt plant health. If you notice these issues, you might want to consider removing the old mulch first. Otherwise, save time and money by placing new mulch right over the old mulch.