Deciding On Mulching
Sunday, October 31st, 2010There are many plus’s and minuses to mulching your gardens and landscaping depending on your weather conditions and your personal desiresthese will depend on your personal desires and your climate. If you live in an area that is prone to fire and has high drought considerations then you will in all likelihood agree it’s a bad idea to use wood chips or sawdust as a mulching base because as these age they become easier to inflame making them a concern for fire. However, you can use other resources including small rocks to help maintain liquid in your soil and slow erosion from the elements. If rocks are to be a primary ingredient to your mulch you should check out the soil first and see if you need to add nitrogen or other nutrients to assist in plant growth.
Thankfully one of the biggest advantages to mulching is it does add back into the soil the nutrients that our plants need to prosper. As the mulch material break ups it can be gently turned under the top soil and a new batch of mulch placed over the top. This aids to keep the soil aerated and water retention. Good bacteria and young roots grow better in these types of soil and are aided even further more because temperatures in the soil are steadier. Mulching also lends a hand to us in weed control. Mulching helps in maintaining the edges of garden ponds and decreasespollution in these ponds. Mulching is also beneficial in increasing compact resistance from feet and tires which otherwise makes it more arduous for plant roots to expand. If you live in a cold climate mulch in the fall to have it break down through the winter months and help prevent your plants from freezing; then lightly work it under in the spring to encourage soil warming before planting. After the soil has warmed up you can apply another layer of mulch to help keep the proper moisture levels inside your soil. If you live in a hot climate then mulching can be done at whenever you think your garden needs the extra protection and nutrients.
When deciding which materials to use for mulching analyze your soil condition first. Is it low on nutrients such as potash, phosphorous, or nitrogen? What families of plants are you going to cultivate in your garden? These are things that should be addressedyou need to go over before you investigate what is usable in your region to benefit your gardens and landscaping the most.