With your warmer climate mulching is not much of a big deal Depending on your rain frequency or lack thereof. The pro's is the moisture retention and the weed suppression. The con's, you said it. For the plants a long way from the spigot, it would save time dragging hose or watering can to the plants during the heat of summer. I use it to save on watering time. Eventually I intend to setup a time saving watering system.
