The best type of mulch for your landscape
With so many varieties available, it can be confusing when you are trying to figure out which mulch to use. Here's what you need to know to pick the right mulch for your garden.
Although mulch may seem like a basic part of the garden, you should be aware of the different types of mulch you can use and the benefits each one offers. Although shredded bark comes to mind immediately, there are many types of mulch you might want to consider for use in your garden. Knowing when to add mulch to your planting beds and how much to use is also important to keep all your plants healthy. Keep these tips in mind when you plant your spring garden and year-round, especially if you decide to add any new beds or landscaping.
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Benefits of mulch
There are many benefits to adding mulch to your garden. In summer, mulch helps retain moisture in the soil so you don’t have to water too often. In the hot sun, the soil dries quickly and hardens. Mulch protects the soil from direct sunlight and helps keep your plants happy.
Mulch also prevents weeds. Adding it to your planting bed will prevent it from reaching the soil, which will prevent many types of weed seeds from germinating. By adding thick mulch, you will ensure that the weeds do not see daylight!
Test Garden Tip: Even if the mulch is the best layer, do not overdo it. The best depth for a mulch layer is 2-4 inches. Any deep, and oxygenated soil is difficult to reach, which can affect your plants.
Over time, garden mulch varieties (produced or partially produced by an organism) made from organic matter will break down and increase the texture and fertility of your soil. This is especially true of compost, as the nutrients in it promote soil organisms and fuel plant growth. In addition, mulch helps to combat a layer of climate change because this greenhouse gas captures the covered soil carbon instead of releasing it into the air.
When to add mulch
Every spring, check the mulch areas of your garden and add more if the layer starts to thin out. If you are mulching a large area of your yard for the first time and not touching some garden beds, you may want to plan distribution from a wholesale supplier. It is cheaper than buying a ton of bundle of mulch from your local garden center and you do not have to carry all the bags in your vehicle in your yard.
When rolling late in the fall, re-check your mulch and reapply if necessary. In winter, mulch acts as a good layer of insulation, which helps regulate soil temperature. This reduces the pressure on the plant roots and can prevent freezing as small plants are pushed out of the ground by freezing and thawing. Make sure the ground is frozen a few times before adding mulch as a protective layer for the winter.
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Types of Garden Mulch
Depending on your landscape design and what you are planting, each of these choices can make a good mulch.
Shredded bar
Shredded bark mulch is one of the most common and inexpensive varieties. It comes from a variety of sources, including cedar trees. Shredded bark is one of the best mulch varieties to use on slopes, and it breaks relatively slowly. Some shredded bark mulch is considered a by-product of other industries and is environmentally friendly. Check the mulch packaging for more information.
Test Garden Tip: Shredded bark can be taken when decomposing nitrogen from the soil. If you have poor soil, adding some organic fertilizer to the soil will help keep your plants healthy.
Straw mulch
The garden has a beautiful golden color that is beautiful. It is slightly slower to break than leaves or grass clippings. Some gardeners prefer small, shredded straw pieces, while others prefer larger straws. Straw is traditionally used in vegetable gardens and high-yield gardens around strawberry plants. Straw does a great job of removing dirt from your cooking utensils.
Test Garden Tip: Make sure the straw is free of seeds, otherwise it will block Causing more weeds. (Oat straw is often a weed.)
Compost
The compost looks like soil, except that when it is dark it really sets the plants well. This mulch breaks down quickly but adds to your soil structure very quickly. Also, it is cheap; You can even make your own rich compost for free from grass clipping and leaves. Many municipalities give compost.
Pine or cedar bark chips
Often referred to as wood chips these pieces of bark break more slowly than shredded bark, but they do not stay in the same place. They are not the best mulch for slopes or other areas that can be washed away by rain; The chips float and fly like boats. Tumors are available in a variety of sizes; The larger the embryo, the longer it will last.
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Stones and river rock
Rocks are more expensive than organic mulch. But they do not break down minerals, river rocks, rocks, and terrain pebbles, so they do not have to be reused every year. However, it also means that over time they will not improve your soil. Be careful when using stone as mulch, as stones can get very hot in the sun. The stones are often used in cactus and rock gardens. If you decide to use rocks and stones as a mulch in an area where plants do not grow, cover the ground with natural cloth, first under a deck. This will help prevent weeds from growing through the rocks.
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