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If you like the look of mulch in your plant beds, be aware that it can attract a variety of pests, including termites. To avoid wood-to-foundation contact, leave a one-foot barrier around your house and fill it in with rocks or gravel, starting mulch past that barrier and working it outward into your plant beds. 

Colored mulch can be bad for plants in that it robs them of nitrogen as it depletes the soil to break itself down. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to test your soil to check the nitrogen levels. If the nitrogen levels are low, use fertilizer with extra nitrogen or switch to regular mulch.

Another downside of colored mulch is if it’s heavily contaminated, it can contaminate the soil and damage your plants. To avoid this, look for the MSC certification logo on the mulch bag before purchasing.

You shouldn’t put topsoil over new grass seed. Even though it may seem like this would increase soil contact and help the seeds grow, adding more soil overtop of planted grass seed will only make it harder for water and oxygen to reach the grass seeds. If you want to protect the grass seeds, consider adding a thin layer of organic matter, such as straw or hay.

The amount of soil you’ll need around your foundation depends on a variety of factors, but in general, you want a 6-inch decline over the first 10 feet extending out from your foundation. How much soil it will take to achieve that will depend on the current grade of the yard, how much foundation is exposed, and the size of your home.