When to apply mulch in spring, what to do with the old mulch?

Question: When to apply mulch in spring, what to do with the old mulch?

Answer: Vegetable garden beds and annual flower beds are mulched in fall to protect them. If the mulch has not decomposed appreciably by the time spring comes, it will still be usable, in which case you should rake the mulch aside for now (otherwise, it will be tilled under, and you'll have to get a new supply of mulch). Apply compost onto the vegetable garden bed or annual flower bed, and till it under. Now rake the mulch (whether new or old) back onto the bed. This process can be completed well in advance of planting time. When it is time to plant, gently move the mulch away from just the area where you are sowing seeds or transplanting plants. With the mulch already in place in this manner, weeds never get much of a chance to emerge.

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