mulch

noun

ˈməlch 

ˈməlsh

: a protective covering (as of sawdust, compost, or paper) spread or left on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit (such as strawberries) clean

mulch transitive verb

Examples of mulch in a Sentence

She spread some mulch around the plants.

Recent Examples on the Web

Volunteers will place trees and shrubs in holes that have already been dug, backfill and tamp down soil, then add water and mulch, according to a press release from the Kane County Forest Preserve District. —Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Covering the cardboard or newspaper with a layer of wood chips or mulch also keeps your garden looking tidy while the weed-blocking material does its work underneath. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026

Cover your plot with a finishing layer of wood chips or wood mulch. —Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 25 Mar. 2026

Spread 2-3 inches (5-8 centimeters) of mulch around plants in beds and borders, too. —ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps irregular from English dialect melch soft, mild

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mulch

• stubble mulch

Rhymes for mulch

• gulch

Kids Definition

mulch

1 of 2 noun

ˈməlch

: a covering (as of straw or sawdust) spread over the ground to protect the roots of plants from heat, cold, or evaporation, prevent soil loss, control weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit (as strawberries) clean

mulch

2 of 2 verb

: to cover with mulch