How Mulch Can Be Applied To Your Garden v1

One very useful and effective approach that gardeners can adopt to promote a healthy garden is mulching. This measure can be utilized in several areas including vegetable gardens and flower beds. The use of mulch can help to eliminate the presence of annoying weeds and helps soil to retain its moisture. Spend less time plucking up weeds, watering gardens and fighting pests when you use this technique.

Mulch For The Perfect Garden

When mulching gardens there are two basic types of mulch that can be used and these are organic or inorganic. Organic mulches usually consist of several different,\ materials including chopped leaves, straw, grass clippings, wood chips,sawdust and shredded bark and inorganic mulches are mainly comprised of gravel, stones, black plastic, and geotextiles. Both types of mulch can be used to discourage weed growth and improve soil quality but organic mulches gradually improve soil as they decomposes while inorganic mulches don’t.

If people are applying mulch to combat weeds there are two important tips they should consider if it is to be done properly and effectively. The first would be to lay down mulch on soil that is already weeded and the second would be to lay it down thick enough to discourage new weeds from reappearing. The ideal thickness of mulch should range from around 4- 6 inches when laid even though a 2- 3 inch layer normally suffices in shady areas where weed growth is not as prevalent as it is in full sun.

Mulching is also an easy way to keep soil cool and moist in dry conditions and reduces the need to constantly water gardens. It provides protection to plants in harsh cold conditions preventing the freezing and thawing of the soil as the gradual decomposition of materials help to generate minimal heat.

Organic mulch has low nitrogen content and should fertilize soil first with a high-nitrogen product such as blood meal or fish meal to boost nitrogen levels in the soil before applying mulch. Another important thing that gardeners should take care to remember is to keep mulch about an inch away from crowns and stems. This is because wet mulch that rests against the stems of flowers and vegetables can cause them to rot. So be sure that mulch is at the appropriate distance to prevent this from occurring.

To protect and maintain the ideal conditions gardeners should definitely consider mulching as an option it is easy to apply, saves time and encourages a healthy, nurtured, environment throughout any garden.  Contact us for more information.

Tagged: landscape, Landscape Maintenance, lawn care