Mulch is useful in gardening and is one of the most welcome tools for any gardener (and their plants). Mulching may not sound that fundamental, but it actually contributes a lot to plant growth and soil maintenance.
Do you want to know the best part? Mulching doesn’t have to cost anything! You can have the most beneficial type of mulch for free just by using homemade ingredients.
Did we wake the gardener in you? Well, we’ve got a lot more coming! Let’s dig deeper into how to make mulch, its importance, and its various benefits.
What Is Mulch?
Mulch is basically anything you use to cover the surface of a plant’s soil. It plays a huge role in bettering the chemical conditions and environment of the soil.
The two mulch categories are organic and inorganic.
Organic mulch refers to any carbon base compound that you can use to cover the surface of your plant’s soil. Most plant health benefits come from organic mulches.
Inorganic mulch is often used to prevent weed growth and reduce the risk of pests due to its nonporous surface. You can also use this mulch type as decoration for borders and walkways in your garden.
Why Use Mulch to Improve Soil?
If we look at it closely, mulch doesn’t get enough praise as it should, like any other gardening must-have.
Some people may see it as a mere added aesthetic, but that’s just a bonus. Its perks run deeper than that.
Mulching is often done in various gardening setups for the following reasons:
- To retain moisture in the soil
- To suppress and block weeds from growing in the soil
- To act as a natural fungicide and maintain pest control
- To provide a natural source of nutrients for plants
- To make your garden look more pleasing
It’s also worth mentioning that mulching is good for the environment. As long as you keep using organic materials such as leaves, bark, and the like, you’re reducing landfill waste and taking advantage of it.
What Do You Need to Make the Best Mulch?
The benefits of mulching take effect after the materials have thoroughly decomposed.
With that said, there are two types of organic mulch; the ones that decompose faster and the ones that decompose slower.
Mulch that decomposes quickly includes the following:
- Cocoa hulls
- Sugar cane
- Straws and hays
- Grass clippings
- Shredded leaves
On the other hand, these are some of the mulches that decompose slower:
- Wood chips and shavings
- Bark mulch
- Pine needles
The ideal mulch depends on your purpose and the region’s general climate.
If you’re adding mulch directly to your garden beds, it’s best to use organic materials such as shredded leaves, straws, and grass clippings. If it’s for the walkways, you’d want to use bark or inorganic materials such as pebbles and gravel.
Furthermore, the decomposition of mulch tends to occur faster in tropical climates. If you’re not fond of constantly replacing your mulches in a short period, you’d be better off with wood chips and barks.
How to Make Mulch?
Making homemade mulch won’t cost much money and effort, plus, it’s eco-friendly. It’s worth noting that organic materials must undergo a certain process before they can be used as mulches.
The process depends on the organic material you’re using. Here are some of the most common mulch materials and how they’re processed:
- Barks, wood chips, and pine needles: Use a wood chipper to shred them into tiny pieces, or rent one from your local hardware store.
- Grass clippings: Whenever you trim or mow the lawn, let the grass clippings dry out in the sun until they’re slightly brown before sprinkling.
- Straws: Boost the soil’s nitrogen source before applying the straws (avoid using hay grown for animal feeding) at least three inches away from the plant’s stems.
- Shredded leaves: Similar to grass clippings, it’s best to let the leaves dry out before shredding and applying them to the plant’s soil.
How Much Mulch Do You Need?
The mulch materials you need will always depend on the size of your garden. However, the general rule of thumb is to apply a max of four inches worth of mulch layer on your soil.
Mulch benefits plants, but over-mulching can be quite detrimental to their health.
Depending on the mulch material, the safest measurements should be around 2 to 4 inches per garden bed. You’d also want to keep your mulch at least three inches away from your plant’s base. Anything closer can increase the risks of plant rot and other diseases.
Benefits of Using Mulch
Mulch is always a welcome additive to gardening. Not only can it make your garden look attractive, but it also keeps your plants and soil healthy.
These are the notable benefits of using mulch:
- Improves and retains soil moisture
- Controls soil temperature
- Provides a reliable source of nutrients
- Reduces weed growth
- Helps prevent soil erosion
- Combats pests and fungi
Mulch FAQs
Can I Use Mulch in Clay Soil?
Mulch, such as tree bark, wood chips, and hulls or shells, helps cultivate clay soil. Additionally, mulch reduces the risks of weed growth in clay soil and enhances its moisture retention.
If you also want to maintain an optimal temperature in your clay soil garden, a layer of mulch will do the trick.
Can I Use Mulch in Sandy Soil?
Mulch is actually essential for plants to thrive in sandy soil. Since sandy soil tends to have a lot of air space, two to three inches of mulch can help reduce water evaporation.
The ideal mulch for sandy soils includes compost, wood bark, and shredded leaves.
Can You Turn Soil Into Mulch?
Soil is for keeping your plant’s stems intact and retaining air, water, and nutrients. Soil alone can’t be used as mulch.
If the soil has some organic materials, you can use those as mulch.
Final Thoughts
With all the necessary benefits mulch provides for soils and plants, it’s almost silly not to use it. There’s hardly any effort needed, and you can already boost your garden’s sustainability and aesthetic.
Mulching is also a great way of reducing and reusing landfill, so that’s good news for our environment. Remember that the next time you do some tweaking in your garden.