Mulching adds a layer of organic or inorganic material to your garden beds.
Beside the beautiful visual effect it has on your garden (especially when wood chip or coloured bark has been used), it benefits the soil, enhances plant growth and it reduces gardening chores, such as regular weeding.
There are two types of mulch: 1)Organic/natural mulches, e.
g.
straw, hay, wood fibres, wood chips, bark, sawdust, leaves, peat, manure, compost, gravel, crushed stone, river pebbles, paper etc.
2)Inorganic/synthetic mulches, e.
g.
plastic sheets, latex, rubber (from recycled tyres), landscape fabrics etc.
(Note: Inorganic mulches do not affect soil fertility or soil structure as they are often not biodegradable in a sense of composting) So, what does mulching in general affect? •When you apply organic/natural mulch it gradually breaks down and releases minerals and nutrients for plants.
Over time it becomes part of the top soil and improves its structure (more air pockets) and general condition, which result in a healthy root & plant growth.
However, if wood chip mulch is being used it can lead to a nutrient depression at first, because of bacteria that start the decomposition.
They use soil nutrients for the process.
That is why only a certain thickness of wood chip mulch should be applied to avoid too much of soil nutrient decline.
You can also add a little more fertilizer to wood chip mulched areas (25% more in general).
•Mulch controls soil/ground erosion caused by (heavy) rainfall.
It conserves soil moisture/water during warm seasons.
Sun and wind cannot break through the mulch and dry out the soil.
•A layer of mulch regulates and moderates soil temperatures as well as it influences the micro climate around plants.
It reduces plant stress caused by changing day temperatures.
•One of the favourite effect of mulching is it reduces weeding next to none.
Mulch stops weeds from growing and germinating.
Weed seeds that landed on the mulch surface cannot get through to the soil to anchor.
If weed seeds are underneath the mulch layer they cannot break through the top.
They are also blocked from sunlight.
All in all, mulching is a great inexpensive way to suppress weeds, to improve soil condition, to prevent soil erosion, to moderate soil temperature and to add to the overall design of a garden.
Beside the beautiful visual effect it has on your garden (especially when wood chip or coloured bark has been used), it benefits the soil, enhances plant growth and it reduces gardening chores, such as regular weeding.
There are two types of mulch: 1)Organic/natural mulches, e.
g.
straw, hay, wood fibres, wood chips, bark, sawdust, leaves, peat, manure, compost, gravel, crushed stone, river pebbles, paper etc.
2)Inorganic/synthetic mulches, e.
g.
plastic sheets, latex, rubber (from recycled tyres), landscape fabrics etc.
(Note: Inorganic mulches do not affect soil fertility or soil structure as they are often not biodegradable in a sense of composting) So, what does mulching in general affect? •When you apply organic/natural mulch it gradually breaks down and releases minerals and nutrients for plants.
Over time it becomes part of the top soil and improves its structure (more air pockets) and general condition, which result in a healthy root & plant growth.
However, if wood chip mulch is being used it can lead to a nutrient depression at first, because of bacteria that start the decomposition.
They use soil nutrients for the process.
That is why only a certain thickness of wood chip mulch should be applied to avoid too much of soil nutrient decline.
You can also add a little more fertilizer to wood chip mulched areas (25% more in general).
•Mulch controls soil/ground erosion caused by (heavy) rainfall.
It conserves soil moisture/water during warm seasons.
Sun and wind cannot break through the mulch and dry out the soil.
•A layer of mulch regulates and moderates soil temperatures as well as it influences the micro climate around plants.
It reduces plant stress caused by changing day temperatures.
•One of the favourite effect of mulching is it reduces weeding next to none.
Mulch stops weeds from growing and germinating.
Weed seeds that landed on the mulch surface cannot get through to the soil to anchor.
If weed seeds are underneath the mulch layer they cannot break through the top.
They are also blocked from sunlight.
All in all, mulching is a great inexpensive way to suppress weeds, to improve soil condition, to prevent soil erosion, to moderate soil temperature and to add to the overall design of a garden.
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