Mulching is the act of putting organic material down around our plants to aid in a multitude of things around your garden. Today we are going to talk about some of the benefits (and maybe disadvantages) of using mulch.
Mulch in and of itself is a fairly cheap way to help your garden thrive. You can use a plethora of things around your house to use such as old paper, leaves, cardboard, wood chips, or tree bark. Just make sure that these materials are organic in nature as the goal over time is for it to break down, providing your plants and soil with added nutrients through the decomposition process.
Benefits:
- Prevents soil loss through erosion from rain or wind.
- prevents loss of moisture by reducing water evaporation from soil being in direct contact with open air.
- As said above, when decomposing, it adds nutrition to your soil.
- Helps regulate your soil’s temperature if you live in a place that has a wide range of temperatures throughout the day.
- Depending on type, it can add drainage to your structural planting spaces.
- Can suppress weeds from growing from your soil and taking up valuable space from your plants.
Mulching can happen really at any time that you think your garden needs it. Of course, during the summer and winter months it is probably a bit more beneficial to add mulch as it can cool down and keep the heat in respectively. This allows your soil to have a more regulated temperature throughout the year and not be susceptible to the volatile temperatures that the rest of your garden might experience.
It is important to note, that you should only place about three to four inches of mulch on whatever surface you are working with. Too much mulch can suffocate your plant’s roots or smother your low growing plants. Too much mulch can also cause the stems on some plants to soften, making them vulnerable to disease but that are worst cases and plant-by-plant and mulch-by-mulch basis.
For now, though, I hope you have a basic understanding of how mulching works! Use local resources in your area to find different mulching solutions and don’t be afraid of trying different kinds until you get one that works! Remember that you are doing this for the longevity and abundance of your garden!
Until next time, as always, Plant with a Purpose! – BTR
