Mulching, i.e. covering the soil around plants with various materials is carried out for different purposes. One of the main things is to preserve soil moisture and provide the roots with a more or less constant temperature. The second goal is to increase soil fertility, and the third is to suppress the growth of weeds.
It is best to mulch the soil in late spring, when the soil is already warmed up by the sun and the weeds have just started to grow. Immediately before laying the mulch, the soil must be loosened with a pitchfork.
Various natural materials can be used as mulch. Of course, you can combine various natural and artificial materials. The use of mulch is very beneficial for gardeners, especially if they cannot devote a lot of time to their plantings.
A good, well-chosen mulch will do a lot for you. However, it is important to choose exactly the type of mulching material that is best suited for the purpose you need.
Natural mulch, when applied in a thick enough layer, will quickly suppress the growth of annual weeds with roots located on the soil surface. But before putting such mulch on the soil, it is necessary to thoroughly weed out all perennial weeds from the roots. Otherwise, in favorable conditions, they will grow as luxuriantly as cultivated plants.
Another way to quickly deal with perennial weeds is to cover the ground with a black film with holes, and put mulch from natural material on top. Holes in the film are needed so that the first heavy rain does not wash away the mulch lying on top of the film. Now let's take a very short look at the health benefits of different types of mulch.
Manure... Well-rotted manure gradually mixes with the soil and fertilizes it. Even not completely rotted manure (but by no means fresh) serves as an excellent mulch. And fresh manure must be kept for at least three months before use.
Prefabricated compost... It consists of all kinds of plant debris (grass cuttings, weeds, wilted flowers), as well as food waste collected in a heap for decay over several months. This is an excellent mulch, but care must be taken to prevent herbicide-treated plants from entering the compost.
The process of decomposition of the compost will accelerate if you sprinkle the waste with nitrogen fertilizers every 20 cm of the thickness of the waste layer.
Coniferous needles... Such a coniferous coating will not be carried away by the wind. It holds well in place, but slightly acidifies the soil.
Chopped bark and chips... This very attractive-looking mulch lasts for a very long time, suppresses the growth of weeds and, over time, as it decomposes, enriches the soil with humus. However, the bark contains few nutrients, so mulched plants need feeding.
Black plastic wrap... This film warms the soil well and suppresses weed growth. Plants are planted through holes cut in the foil. But this coating must be carefully pressed along the edges with bricks or sprinkled with earth.
Straw... It is a very good mulch, although it can easily bring in weed seeds from the fields. It is best to put straw in a layer of up to 10 cm. And if the straw is thoroughly chopped, then it will very well scare away slugs and snails.
Gravel, pebbles, stones... Around the trunks of trees or potted plants, they are not only decorative but also help to retain moisture. Rocks or a layer of pebbles will be more effective against weeds by placing a perforated black film underneath. Holes in the foil will allow rainwater to enter the soil.
"Ural gardener", No. 34, 2018
