You can do your garden good by mulching. You put mulch around your plants and over bare soil. Mulch is made up of different organic materials that are decomposing. Straw, pine needles, bark or wood chips from various tree species, and cocoa bean shells make up organic mulch. Mulch can also be made up of inorganic materials such as recycled tires, black plastic, pebbles, river rock, and landscaping fabric. Here are some of the benefits of mulching.
One of the benefits of mulching is that it helps control weeds. Mulching prevents the growth of weeds in your garden. Sunlight is prevented from reaching weeds with mulching. The absences of sunlight will prevent weeds from growing.
When there is water, your organic mulch will retain it Evaporation is limited by both mulches covering the soil. Plants will have moisture on a hot day since mulch absorbs water and moisture and it helps your water bill as well.
Another benefit of mulching is the prevention of soil erosion. When your mulch, it does not only retain water in the soil, it also stops rainwater from washing away your soil.
Nurtients will be retained by the mulch because it prevents the rainwater from washing it way. Much nutrients are released into the soil with organic mulch. This will happen when the organic mulch slowly decomposes on top of the soil.
Mulch like cedar bark can help repel insects or pests. The oil in cedar bark acts as an insect repellant. Fragrant mulch helps repel insects.
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.
Mulch can fill up the empty spaces in your garden. Extensive care is needed if you use grass and other fillers. Grass need to be mowed and watered and will compete with your other garden plants for resources. It is a lot easier to care for mulch and they will not compete with other plants.
Mulch also helps moderate soil temperature. The soil is kept warm on cold nights, and cool on hot days.
During winter plants are protected from the cycle of freezing and thawing with mulch
Mulch also prevents soil compaction and crusting.
Mulch also keeps plants off the ground to avoid plant disease.
Plants are kept clean because of mulch since rain is prevented from splashing soil that could carry diseases onto the plants.
Your garden become attractive with mulch.
There are also ways when mulch can be detrimental to your garden. Overmulching can suffocate plants since they will get buried. Pests can hide in the mulch. If done incorrectly your plants can be baked because of excess heat.