Mulching the soil is a very important maintenance procedure in the garden. It consists in covering the topsoil around the plants with a layer of appropriate organic or inorganic material. Mulching the soil around the plants in the garden gives us many benefits:
- reduces the growth of weeds,
- protects against excessive water evaporation from the soil,
- protects the substrate against washing during rain or watering, and reduces leaching of nutrients from the soil,
- helps to keep the soil temperature constant by cooling it in summer and warming it in winter,
- stimulates the development of soil microorganisms that enrich the soil with nutrients,
- reduces the risk of strawberries and vegetables being infected by fungal diseases, and also prevents them from getting dirty as a result of contact with the soil.
border=3 height=236 width=454
Color contrast when using different mulch materials- gravel and two types of bark
When deciding to mulch the soil, we can choose from a number of materials (mulches) with different properties. It is important that we choose a bedding suitable for our type of garden. Here are the most popular materials that we can use as bedding:
- ground bark from conifers and deciduous trees (both fresh and composted), pine bark is the most commonly used mulch from coniferous trees, it helps maintain the acidic pH of the soil and is especially useful in the cultivation of acidophilic plants (conifers, heathers, rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries), but if we want to de-acidify the soil, it is worth using beech bark mulch, which is rich in calcium,
- gravel and grit, these materials are used mainly for mulching the soil in flowerbeds with ornamental plants, where, in addition to preventing the occurrence of weeds and drying of the soil, they are also an attractive decorative element,
- mowed grass, before using it as a mulch, it must be thoroughly dried (fresh grass spread in a thicker layer will start to rot quickly and instead of bringing benefits, it may increase the risk of fungal diseases and pests),
- straw, which decomposes very slowly, which makes it an ideal material for mulching species of vegetables, the cultivation of which takes a long time and requires sufficient water in the soil, it is also worth placing the cut straw in the row between the strawberries (it is best to do it during the flowering), straw litter contains a lot of silicic acid, which strengthens plant tissues, and effectively prevents the occurrence of fungal diseases,
- foil, which is used in vegetable cultivation, increases the temperature of the soil and effectively prevents weeds from sprouting,
Foil used as mulch in the plot
In addition to the above-mentioned materials, we can also use sawdust, dry leaves, compost or wood wool as litter.
When and how to spread the bedding?
The best time to mulch is early spring when the soil is moist and still free of weeds. Before we spread the mulch, the soil must be properly prepared. Loosen the soil and - if the first weeds have already appeared - remove them thoroughly.
The material used for mulching should be moist, loose and shredded. Spread the litter evenly over the entire surface, creating a layer thickness from a few (between vegetables and small ornamental plants) to several centimeters (between larger shrubs and trees). Spread the litter so that it does not touch the stems or trunks directly, as it may contribute to heating them up.We should also remember the principle that it is better to mulch more often (every year) with a thin layer than less often with a thicker layer. If there are many snails in our garden, after spreading the mulch, it is worth sprinkling it on top with bas alt flour, which slightly scares off snails.
Note: do not cover the frozen soil with mulch, because due to the insulating properties of the mulch, the soil will thaw more slowly ! So we mulch in early spring, but only after the soil has completely thawed.For more information about mulching the soil in the garden, please visit our blog, where we present the article: How to mulch soil in the garden?
See also:
Compiled on the basis of: H. Legutowska, Soil mulching, Ogrody, No. 4/2003, p. 82, and Natural bedding materials, My Beautiful Garden, No. 5/98, pp. 88-89.
