ADVANTAGES OF MULCHING
Mulch offers three major benefits:
- Suppression of weeds.
- Conservation of moisture in the soil.
- Moderation of soil temperatures, keeping it warmer on cold nights and cooler on hot days.
DISADVANTAGES OF MULCHING
Over mulching can kill plants. With most organic mulches, a layer of 2-4 inches is plenty. The finer the material, the thinner the layer needed.
Unfortunately, mulch provides the perfect place for slugs and snails to hide. Use shallow cups of beer to attract and drown them, or sprinkle wood ashes or diatomaceous earth around the base of precious plants to keep the slugs and snails at bay.
Impervious mulches, like black plastic, don’t let air or water in. Even matted leaves can have that same effect, so shred or chop them up first.
Light colored, wood-based mulches, like sawdust or fresh wood chips, can steal nitrogen from the soil as they break down. Counter this effect by adding a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as soybean meal, alfalfa, or cottonseed meal, to the mulch.
Dry mulches—including sawdust, wood chips, peat moss, and dry straw—can be a fire hazard. Keep them away from buildings to be on the safe side.
TYPES OF MULCH
Here are a few of the more popular mulches:
Organic Mulches
Shredded or chipped bark-Keep it away from the base of trees and shrubs to prevent wood boring insects and decay from attacking the plants.
Shredded leaves and leaf mold- eventually break down and feed the soil with beneficial materials.
Straw and salt marsh hay-are free of weed seeds.
Grass clippings should be dried first or spread thinly to keep them from becoming a hot, slimy, stinky mess. Don’t use clippings from grass treated with chemicals.
Pine needles- are slow to break down, so don’t worry about them adding to soil acidity.
