Winter Mulch

I've spent the entire weekend raking, chopping and bagging leaves (my whole body aches today ... oh to be young again). Some will go into the compost pile, some will stay in the bags to make leaf mold and the rest I will use to mulch the raised flower beds. When is the best time to put down the winter mulch? The temps. in my area now range from highs 35 to 45 and lows 25 to 35.

I'd put down the mulch now, you already has some frost, the mulch is to protect the roots from heaving out of the ground and if they do heave a bit the mulch will keep them protected till spring.

Hmmmmmm.......

I have always heard that mulch should be put down AFTER the ground freezes to prevent the heaving. Of course, around here, (Baltimore) the ground never stays frozen. It is always freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw......60* one day--freezing the next.

This wasn't very helpful--I know.....

Gita

Gita, our ground over the last several winters has never stayed frozen either. But I find if the roots get exposed to the cold winds the plant will surely parish from the elements. The bitter cold winds is the killer here.
I wrap a few bushes that I have with burlap to protect them.
If I leave the fallen leaves in my flower beds which I do, the ground is usually frozen under them. Any plant that heaves a bit over winter I just firm down in the spring when I clean out the leaves.
My personal opinion is, as long as the roots are covered they will make it through the winter.

Thank you ladies! I started covering the beds with chopped leaves. I still have a few more to cover this weekend and two more pile of leaves to chop. This week has been very windy (and cold -- 30s high, 20 low) and all of the neighbors leaves are blowing back into my yard -- yipee, more to mulch with and add to the compost bin.

Michael,

And--what is going to keep all your chopped leaves from blowing off your beds and into YOUR neighbor's yard?????
Do you cover them with anything to hold them down?

Just curious, Gita

I don't cover them with anything. I just pile the chopped leaves about 3"-4" deep. I did this last year, some blew away, but most stayed in the beds.