Frank Arnold
‘Mulch’ is a protective layer of material that is spread 3-6 inches deep on top of exposed soil between plants. Mulch is by far the best way to preserve the water in your soil and can be a very effective way of feeding your soil and regulating growing temperatures. Mulch can be almost anything: straw, grass clippings, corn cobs, river stones, pea gravel, chipped bricks, bark chips, leaves, peat moss, seaweed, wood ashes, sawdust and so on.
Nature abhors uncovered and exposed ground. Walk out into nature and look down. In a healthy ecosystem you will find very little, if any, bare ground. Nature will always try to cover soil with either plant growth, decaying matter or even inorganic matter. Trees drop their leaves and cover the floor of a forest for example. You’ll want to imitate the same process in your garden.
WHY MULCH?
As mentioned above, mulch helps preserve water and regulate the temperature in your soil but it also prevents the growth of weeds, protects soil from compaction, cuts down on erosion and, if organic, feeds your soil. As the mulch decomposes, it provides that vital organic matter to your soil, encourage microbe growth and shelter earthworms. All that organic matter keeps your soil loose so that it can retain moisture and promote root growth.
TYPES OF MULCH:
Before heading to the store to buy mulch, look around your yard and house.
GRASS CLIPPINGS
Grass clippings make excellent mulch. They are easy to spread between small vegetable plants and if you have a lawn, you will have a steady supply to layer on throughout the summer.
NEWSPAPER
Old newspaper also works quite well, especially against weeds.
LEAVES
Leaves are another material to use as mulch. Remember that forest floor? Leaf mold from the decomposed remains of leaves gives the forest floor that spongy structure and holds a heck of a lot of water.
OLD CLOTHING
You can also use old cotton or wool clothing cut into strips. You can even use old carpet like this, too.
WOOD CHIPS
Bark chips can be purchased at most garden centers. They can be a bit pricey and do not decompose very rapidly but they will preserve soil moisture and eventually help your soil – and they look awfully nice in the garden.
STRAW
Hay or straw can also be purchased as can seaweed mulches.
LIVING MULCH
Another type of mulch is so-called ‘living mulch’. These are plants that grow very close to the ground under the main crop. They can grow very fast and have all the benefits of other types of mulch. Keep an eye on these that they don’t eventually compete with your main crop.
PLASTIC MULCH
Some recommend plastic mulches but I strongly urge you to avoid this ‘plasticulture’. For one, you are adding nothing to your soil except, possibly, leached chemicals. Worse, covering your soil with plastic can kill the microbes and other life that will make your garden vibrant. Under plastic the soil can’t get the water, air and nutrients it needs to thrive. Plants grown with plastic mulches can very weak root systems that leave the plant malnourished and subject to damage from winds.
Nature abhors uncovered and exposed ground. Walk out into nature and look down. In a healthy ecosystem you will find very little, if any, bare ground. Nature will always try to cover soil with either plant growth, decaying matter or even inorganic matter. Trees drop their leaves and cover the floor of a forest for example. You’ll want to imitate the same process in your garden.
WHY MULCH?
As mentioned above, mulch helps preserve water and regulate the temperature in your soil but it also prevents the growth of weeds, protects soil from compaction, cuts down on erosion and, if organic, feeds your soil. As the mulch decomposes, it provides that vital organic matter to your soil, encourage microbe growth and shelter earthworms. All that organic matter keeps your soil loose so that it can retain moisture and promote root growth.
TYPES OF MULCH:
Before heading to the store to buy mulch, look around your yard and house.
GRASS CLIPPINGS
Grass clippings make excellent mulch. They are easy to spread between small vegetable plants and if you have a lawn, you will have a steady supply to layer on throughout the summer.
NEWSPAPER
Old newspaper also works quite well, especially against weeds.
LEAVES
Leaves are another material to use as mulch. Remember that forest floor? Leaf mold from the decomposed remains of leaves gives the forest floor that spongy structure and holds a heck of a lot of water.
OLD CLOTHING
You can also use old cotton or wool clothing cut into strips. You can even use old carpet like this, too.
WOOD CHIPS
Bark chips can be purchased at most garden centers. They can be a bit pricey and do not decompose very rapidly but they will preserve soil moisture and eventually help your soil – and they look awfully nice in the garden.
STRAW
Hay or straw can also be purchased as can seaweed mulches.
LIVING MULCH
Another type of mulch is so-called ‘living mulch’. These are plants that grow very close to the ground under the main crop. They can grow very fast and have all the benefits of other types of mulch. Keep an eye on these that they don’t eventually compete with your main crop.
PLASTIC MULCH
Some recommend plastic mulches but I strongly urge you to avoid this ‘plasticulture’. For one, you are adding nothing to your soil except, possibly, leached chemicals. Worse, covering your soil with plastic can kill the microbes and other life that will make your garden vibrant. Under plastic the soil can’t get the water, air and nutrients it needs to thrive. Plants grown with plastic mulches can very weak root systems that leave the plant malnourished and subject to damage from winds.
