What is mulching and what benefits does it bring

What is mulching and what benefits does it bring
What is mulching and what benefits does it bring

Video: What is mulching and what benefits does it bring

Video: What is mulching and what benefits does it bring
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What is mulching? Let's try to clarify this term using the following example. Under trees and shrubs, a layer of fallen leaves, rotting branches and dry grass naturally forms. These organic residues protect the soil from drying out, weathering and erosion. Under cultivated plants, such a layer does not have time to form, so you have to use a special agricultural technique called mulching.

what is mulching
what is mulching

Covering the soil in beds, flower beds, under shrubs and fruit trees with an artificial protective layer - that's what mulching is. In this case, the selected area can either be completely covered with mulch, or only in the aisles. In addition to protecting the topsoil from rain washout, weathering, and sudden temperature changes, mulching can reduce the amount of watering, because moisture is better retained in the soil, and get rid of heavy weeding. Mulch keeps weeds that lack sunlight under opaque material from growing, so the beds stay clean. In addition, after watering, there is no drying hard crust left. Mulching is actively used in arid places where it is difficult to maintain sufficientthe amount of moisture in the soil.

Mulch can be used in a variety of materials. All of them can be divided into two types: inorganic and organic. The first group includes roofing felt, roofing material, mulching film (black or colored, but not transparent) and other artificial materials. Sawdust, tree bark, green grass clippings, straw, leaf litter, needles, compost, and even newsprint can be used as organic mulch. Different cultures prefer their covering material. Organic mulch is also good because in the process of decay it becomes a nutrient layer for plants.

lawn mulching
lawn mulching

What is mulching garden trees and shrubs? A layer of mulch covers the circle of earth around them and the paths. To do this, you can use long-acting organic matter, for example, needles or sawdust. Gravel is fine too. Raspberries, for example, can be covered with sawdust. Mulching with tree bark also has a decorative function, so it is often used in landscape design.

The easiest way to mulch your lawn is to not remove the cut grass. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that a too dense layer does not form, which can rot during the rains, some kind of fungus can start in it. Therefore, lawns must be raked at least three times a year.

film for mulching
film for mulching

Mulching is often used when growing berries and vegetables. Usually, a black film is used for these purposes, in which holes are cut forplants. It is much more convenient to pick clean berries from the film than from the ground, especially after rain. But tomatoes, for example, prefer red film, and cabbage - white.

Now that you have a little understanding of what mulching is and what undoubted benefits it brings, you can start choosing the right mulch for the crops that will grow on your site.

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