Mulch is an important, all-natural substance for all gardens. Whether you want a beautiful floral spring garden or a healthy vegetable patch, mulch will add nutrients to your soil and help with moisture retention.
Mulched gardens are far more drought resistant and are less susceptible to weed infestations. This gives you more time to focus on nurturing perfect plants than watering and weeding.
How to use mulch in your garden
The two main purposes of using mulch are to combat weeds and keep the soil moist for longer. When using it to minimise weeds, it’s important to first lay it on soil that has already been weeded. Use a thick layer (7cm to 10cm) of mulch to stop new weeds from sprouting through it. Use less mulch in shady areas.
Mulch that contains thicker wood chips is good for moisture retention and keeping the soil cool. In spring, pull the mulch away from new bulbs to allow them to grow more easily – wet mulch piled around the base of stems can cause them to rot.
Pick the right mulch for your garden
There are two types of mulch; organic and inorganic. Organic mulch is made up of formerly living plants such as leaves, grass clippings, hay, wood chips, pine needles and compost. Inorganic mulch contains non-biological materials such as black plastic and landscape fabrics.
Organic mulch improves soil fertility and condition. As the organic material decomposes, it releases nitrates into the soil which plants absorb for growth. Inorganic mulch doesn’t improve the quality of the soil, but they are great at retaining heat for cold nights and moisture during hot days.
Alternatives to mulch
Mulch contains a mixture of organic and/or inorganic materials. If you can’t find the right mulch or you’d rather use your own alternatives, here are some great options:
- Wood chips and leaves – Rake up the fallen leaves from trees in your garden and use them as mulch. If you chop down a tree in your garden, collect the wood chips or you can buy a bag of wood chips or shredded bark from a nursery – they don’t cost much. Wood chips work well for flower beds and garden paths, but they shouldn’t be used on vegetable gardens or flower beds that get dug up often.
- Grass clippings – Collect your grass clippings when mowing the lawn. They act as a natural fertilizer as they are rich in nitrogen. Grass clippings work well on vegetable patches and encourage more growth.
- Compost – Collect vegetable trimmings and fruit peels from your kitchen. Any organic waste makes for good compost, even eggshells can be added. Compost is a fantastic soil enricher. Keep your compost damp by watering it regularly and be sure to aerate it every week or two so that it doesn’t stagnate.
- Straw – Straw or hay is another good alternative to mulch, especially for vegetable gardens. Straw is great for retaining soil moisture and discouraging weed growth. It also adds organic compounds to the soil when it decomposes. Make sure the straw is free from seeds otherwise you’ll end up with a garden full of long grass.
- Black plastic film – Putting black plastic film (like bin liners but larger) over a smooth soil surface will transmit the sun’s heat into the soil below. It has the same effect as a greenhouse, keeping the soil moist and warm. It’s an effective weed prevention too. Place the black liner tightly over a new bed, bury the edges and make holes where you plant seeds so that the shoots can easily grow. One disadvantage is that water can’t permeate the plastic so special drip irrigation on the soil surface (beneath the plastic) is needed to water plants.
- Landscape fabrics – These textiles, like shade cloth, let air and water through to the soil and prevent weeds from sprouting. Essentially, they act as a more expensive but permeable plastic film. However, landscape fabrics degrade over time, especially when exposed to sunlight. You may want to cover them with a second mulch to protect them.
No matter what mulch you decide to use, or what alternative to try, it’s a good idea to enhance your soil fertility and improve growing conditions. Mulch makes for healthier gardens, taller trees and thicker bushes. Turn your garden into an oasis and give your vegetable patch a boost of nutrients by trying some of these mulch techniques.
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