Mulching has only advantages. The wagons and flowerbeds do not need to be watered so often, weeds do not spread en masse (sometimes almost at all), and the soil is fertile longer. You can mulch most trees and shrubs, shade-loving plants, incl. rhododendrons, hydrangeas, ferns.Roses and perennials for sunny places are mulched with compost, because it is also an excellent fertilizer for them.
Organic materials are most often used for the litter (thanks to them, the substrate is of better quality). The less shredded the material, the thicker the mulch should be - for coarsely cut pine bark it is 5-10 cm. However, it is worth being moderate.We can spread the litter at any time of the year.
There are times when the mulch can harm plants.This happens when decaying straw or bark absorbs nitrogen from the substrate, which is responsible for plant growth. Therefore, before placing such a litter, it is good to apply nitrogen fertilizer, for example ammonium nitrate.
The most onerous root weeds, such as couch grass, will only be resistant to agrotextile, which develops on the substrate before the litter is poured out. Some plants preferring dry, sandy soil, such as mint, thyme, gypsophila, pasque-flower, sedum, colony, rudbeckia, lavender, prefer mineral bedding, mainly gravel and grit.This litter has recently gained importance also for ornamental reasons.
How does litter work?
Cortical litter (left) acts as a safety buffer to mitigate the effects of extreme weather conditions.When it is hot, the substrate does not dry out so quickly.In turn, when it rains, the water soaks deeply into the substrate, it does not run off the surface.
At the same time, the organic litter undergoes slow biodegradation, releasing the decay into the substrate, which is easy to see from the darker color of the substrate.In such conditions they feel great, among others clematis.In addition, the mulch layer protects the substrate and the plant roots from excessive heating.
Popular inorganic bedding
1. Volcanic lava looks very effective and, importantly, releases small amounts of nutrients into the ground.
2. Shells are non-obvious litter, yet nice and useful.Recommended especially for pot gardens.
3. The main advantage of slate bark is that it is hard and resistant to external factors.
4. Grit has irregular shapes and sharp edges, which creates a dense coating because it gets wedged when pressed.
5.The gravel is round in shape, it is available (just like grit) in various grain sizes.Pebbles of 8-16 mm in size are best for mulching. The gravel offered for sale is usually white in color, although gray, beige, greenish or yellowish can also be easily found.The colors of such litter should harmonize with the paths or plaster on the building and emphasize the decorative qualities of plants.
Popular organic bedding
1.Chips are a popular material for mulching, you can make them yourself in a shredder.They may contain tannins that inhibit sprouting, so it is better not to use them, for example, in a vegetable garden.
2. Color chips do not differ from natural ones. Nothing apart from the color, because they are offered in yellow, orange, red, brown.
3. Pine bark contains tannins which, when released into the soil, inhibit the growth of weeds.
4. Shredded conifer bark is cheaper than pine bark, and above all finer.
5. Compost is the most fertile litter, it can be successfully used, for example, under roses and in perennial beds with flowering plants.
6. Straw is mainly used for mulching strawberries. It dries quickly.
