All About Mulch

Choosing the Best Mulch for Your Gardening and Landscaping

In the gardening world, the use of Mulch is becoming more and more popular with many gardeners seeing this as an essential time saving product which can have a major impact on the appearance of their gardens. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly substances around, as it is made from waste, and debris from everyday life.

The variations of Mulch can be enormous, whether you are looking for a light Mulch or a course Mulch or something in between. Some of the most ordinary of products can be reused and offer great assistance in the garden.

How does Mulch help your garden?

As the Mulch is placed over the top of your garden soil, it acts like a barrier to the release and waste of nutrients in the soil. By encasing the soil, it reduces the escape of moisture, deters weed and stops the underlying soil from eroding due to the fact that it is protected from the natural elements such as cold, heat, rain and wind.

How do you apply Mulch to your soil?

The application of Mulch could not be easier, basically you just lay the Mulch on top of the existing garden soil (for maximum benefit it is advisable to lay the Mulch between 2 inches and 4 inches thick). The types of Mulch can vary substantially from a light Mulch to a very course Mulch, although what type you choose will depend entirely on the climate, soil type, etc.

What is used to produce Mulch?

Some of the more common elements homeowners use to produce Mulch include, leaves, sticks, grass, bark, compost and any other organic based material. Many people actually find that newspaper makes a very good Mulch ingredient, and as the ink is commonly vegetable based there are no issues with harmful chemicals or side effects.

As the Mulch industry has grown, many landscape gardeners have begun to use the product as a design tool, as well as for its natural benefits. There are now a number of commercial Mulch products available, which contain naturally occurring dyes, including black, red, etc. These can add a different element to any landscape design, as well as assisting with the quality of the plants.

Miscellaneous Mulch Tips

While many of the aspects of Mulching can be down to trial and error, in order to find the best variation for your garden or yard, there are a number of factors, which you should consider, including:

• A course Mulch will reduce the occurrence of weeds, and decompose fairly slowly.
• Much lighter, fine Mulch will still assist with retaining the natural moisture of the soil, but will decompose a little bit quicker than more course varieties.
• Before applying Mulch, all areas of the soil should be thoroughly weeded and watered, ensuring that there is natural moisture to retain under the Mulch, as well as little chance of further weeds appearing.

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