Mulches and mulching
What is mulching?
Mulches are materials added to surface of the soil. In this post I'll focus on organic materials that are essential for soil health. To be effective the material needs to be laid thickly. Most can be applied at any time, as long as the soil is moist, but if the purpose is for insulation then the mulch should instead be applied after the soil has warmed up in Spring. Autumn, when crops have been harvested and you don’t want to leave the soil exposed over winter, is a particually good time. Perennial weeds should be removed prior to mulching and material should be kept away from the base of woody stems and trunks to avoid softening, and help to prevent diseases.
Benefits of mulching
Mulching can provide one or more of the following benefits:
- A decorative finish (e.g. chipped bark on borders)
- Improved soil structure
- Suppression of weeds
- Moisture retention
- Protection of the soil surface and reduced erosion
- Maintainance and increase of soil organic matter
- Encouragement of benefical soil organisms
- Retention of heat in the soil
- Protection of edible crops from contact with the soil
Materials for mulch
Many organic materials are used as mulches including farmyard manure, garden compost, mushroom compost, composted municipal waste, leaf mould, chipped bark, composted straw and green manure.