Using mulch as top dressing now?

Apologize if this has already been covered, but I can't find it!

I 'inheirited' three bags of mulch this spring. The snow has just melted over my front perennial beds and the leaves left looked solidly crushed down. When we put in these beds we amended the soil, though it's pretty good here-I'm in an older lake basin area in an older house which was built without removing all the topsoil (yeah!), and there are a million mushrooms in the summer so I know the soil hasn't been 'humanized'. LOL

Nothing is actively growing yet, and I expect more snow before real spring. Can I use this mulch on these beds now? I am wondering if it would break-down or just compact the soil? It is finely shredded hardwood mulch.

Any info welcome!

Hi clpgirl,
Up here we don't put down mulch till after the ground thaws cause mulch tends to insulate. Usually we put mulch down to keep down the weeds.
Hope this helps.
Chucki

That's interesting chucki, here we put down mulch after the ground freezes - and the reason is ALSO because it insulates! It keeps the soil cool and prevents the freeze/thaw cycles from pushing plants out of the ground (frost heave). But we do also use it for weed prevention.

In answer to your question clpgrl, you could put it down now, it won't compact your soil, and it could still prevent frost heave. Or you could wait 'til the ground thaws like chucki said... Your choice I guess :o).

Thanks to both of you! Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to make a decision that would further compact the area. Maybe I'll flip a coin. LOL