MULCH

It's too early! But then, beggars can't be choosers right?
My husband stopped to talk with the ASPLUNDH (SP?) crew that was disposing of trees that had come down in that terrible wind storm a few weeks ago. He asked if they'd like to dump some chips at our house. Chipping crews are usually all too happy to get rid of chips so they don't have to stop work to deliver chips miles away.
Mind you, we ONLY ask for chips when they are dealing with downed trees. NEVER ask for chips from trees that are being removed from someone's yard because they are dying (or dead). Chances are that wood will be full of disease which you DO NOT WANT IN YOUR YARD!
Anyway, we usually get a very nice, manageable pile of chips. This time, they had a HUGE truck. They dumped a pile of wood chips about 20 feet long; 10 feet wide, and probably about 6 feet tall!!!!!!!!! How will we EVER get rid of it?
That brings me to my "too early" mulch topic. My husband talked with the young man who helps us with yard chores. And yes, he could come to help. So yesterday, he appeared. That meant the perennial beds had to be raked so he could put the debris in the compost bin. Unfortunately, as I approached the "Black Gold" portion of my compost, it was FROZEN! So, I had to give up that good stuff this year.
Then the mulch is being applied to the newly raked beds. It's too early. The ground is still frozen. Now it will stay that way for much longer since it will have a heap of insulation on top. Oh, dear. Well, as I said, beggars can't be choosers! If I were 20 years younger, I'd be doing this all myself so the timing would be right. Now, I can't, so I'll go with the flow.
But, you happy gardeners are probably young enough that you can do your own raking and composting and mulching. SO-wait until the frost is out of the ground before you put that mulch on your garden!