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

Apply Mulch In late fall, spread a 6-inch layer of mulch over the division to protect it from freeze-thaw cycles. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2025

Then cover the crown with a layer of mulch to protect it from winter weather. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025

Dudas ended up using the boulder in his landscaping, making space for the massive rock in his front yard, adding mulch, topsoil, and indigenous plants to the area, as well as other smaller rocks. —Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Recently, some Guard troops have been tasked with picking up trash and spreading mulch, jobs that have been neglected after Musk’s DOGE task force purged a significant portion of the federal workforce. —Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025

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