Mulching is not mandatory for your garden but its various benefits make this totally worth it. It is one of the best things for your garden as it helps improve the soil fertility and maintains good health of your plants. Mulching is the act of placing a protective layer above your bare soil and around your plants. This barrier can be made from a variety of materials like decomposing organic things including straw, wood chips, bark, pine needles, etc. or non-organic and non-decomposing materials like plastic, pebbles, river rock, landscaping fabric and recycled tires. We bring you some of the top benefits of using garden mulch:
CONTROLLING WEEDS – Using mulch can control the amount of weeds that grow in the open spaces of your plants. The mulch becomes a barrier and limits the amount of sunlight that can foster the growth of weeds.
RETAINING MOISTURE – Organic mulch absorbs water and both organic and non-organic kinds of mulch cover your soil and reduce the amount of water evaporation. This helps to retain the moisture in your plants. This is a great benefit during the hot and dry seasons and it helps your plants and reduces your water bill as well.
PREVENTING SOIL EROSION – Apart from retaining water, mulch also protects your soil from rain water washing it away. This happens as mulch breaks the fall of the water, reduces its force and decreases its impact when it hits the ground.
MAINTAINING IMPORTANT SOIL NUTRIENTS – Mulch is not only important to protect soil from eroding, when it is made of organic materials, it also helps in adding nutrients to your soil, thus improving its quality. This occurs when the organic materials gradually decompose over the soil in your garden.
CONTROLLING PESTS – If you are facing pest troubles in your garden, you can use special mulch like cedar bark, whose natural oils act as an insect repellent. A fragrant mulch will have better effects on the insects. Avoid using a deep layer of mulch in your garden. An ideal size is 2-4 inches of mulch for most plants in gardens.
ENCOURAGING EARTHWORMS – By using organic mulch, you ca encourage earthworms to come into your garden. All wise gardeners will tell you that earthworms help in nutrient cycling and improve your soil structure.
When And How Much Should You Mulch?
The ideal time to mulch for new plantations is right after you plant them. If you are adding mulch to established plants, early spring is the right time to do so. This is the time when plants begin to grow and weed seeds also start to germinate.
The amount of mulch required depends on the mulching materials. If you are using leaves or grass clippings, they replenish quickly so need to be replaced often. If you are using non-organic materials like pebbles or gravel, they will hardly need to be replaced. Once the plants grow and fill in the empty spaces, you will need lesser mulch around the plants.
By mulching your garden, you will give it a polished look and ensure that your plants and healthy and growing beautifully!
