You can do your garden good by mulching. Mulching is usually done around plants and over bare soil. Different decomposing organic materials make up mulch. Organic mulch is made up of straw pine needles, bark or wood chips from different tree species, and cocoa bean shells. Recycled tires, black plastic, pebbles, river rock, and landscaping fabric make up inorganic mulch. Here are some of the benefits of mulching.
One of the benefits of mulching is that it helps control weeds. There will then be limited weed growing in your garden when you use mulch. Mulch prevents sunlight from reaching weeds. So weeds won’t grow.
When there is water, your organic mulch will retain it When the soil is covered by mulches, then evaporation is limited. If moisture is retained during a hot day, then your plants will be helped and it will also help lower your water bill.
Soil erosion is prevented with mulching. Aside from retaining water trapped in the soil, mulching also prevents soil from being washed away by rainwater.
When there is mulch, soil nutrients are kept from being washed away with the rain. Much nutrients are released into the soil with organic mulch. The reason for this is that organic mulch will decompose slowly on top of the soil.
Mulch like cedar bark can help repel insects or pests. The natural oil of cedar is like an insect repellant If you want it to have the greatest effect on insects, choose fragrant mulch.
Organic mulch encourages earthworms to live in your garden soil. When there are earthworms in your soil, it greatly improves your soil structure and nutrient cycling.
Empty space in your garden can be filled up with mulch. Extensive care is needed if you use grass and other fillers. They need to be mowed and watered and compete for resources with your garden plants. Caring for mulch is much easier and they will not compete with other garden plants.
Soil temperature is moderated by mulch. The soil is kept warm on cold nights, and cool on hot days.
Your plants are protected from the cycle of freezing and thawing during winter because of the presence of mulch.
With mulch, you will not have a problem with soil compaction and crusting.
Mulch also keeps plants off the ground to avoid plant disease.
Mulch also keep plants clean because it prevents rain from splashing soil that could carry disease onto plants.
One benefit of mulch is to make your garden more attractive.
There are also ways when mulch can be detrimental to your garden. Plants can be buried and suffocated with too much mulching. Mulch can be a perfect place for pests to hide in. If you don’t do mulching properly, the mulch can create too much heat that can bake the plants.