Landscaping your Garden with Mulch | Tips & Techniques

Mulch is like a protective cover that you place over your soil. Mulching your garden serves many purposes, it is used in landscaping to increase the look of the garden maybe to make it blend better with the surroundings. Other benefits are root protection, not having to weed or fight pests as much, make the soil richer providing nutrients for it and retaining mositure therefore meaning less time spent watering the soil.

Mulch Types

There are organic and inorganic mulches. For the organic mulches they are made from natural substances, here are some examples.

Organic Mulches

For a newly seeded area Straw can make a great organice mulch, it needs to be replaced more often though due to quick decomposition and care needs to be taken in application due to its light weight.

You can use the grass from a mowed lawn as an organic mulch, make sure it is not wet upon application as it can clump together in a mat so dry well before using. Also ensure you dont use grass clippings that have been treated with something like a herbicide. As grass is rich in nirtogen it can be used well in a vegetable mulch.

Sawdust is another alternative for an organic mulch. A tip would be to let the sawdust decompose with some soil which will prevent it from blowing away and also from matting up in the wet. Also its best to use just as a layer above the soil, if you introduce the sawdust with the soil the nitrogen content can be reduced.

Inorganic Mulches

A top choice as an inorganic mulch is recycled rubber. Recycled rubber can be used as a great alternative to bark and it can also look natural. There are many advantages with recycled rubber mulch - it is safe, lasts long, soil temperatue is regulated, weed growth prevention and can enhance the retention of water.

Another type of inorganic mulch is plastic. This is completely different to rubber as it water and air penetrating or getting out, it keep the soil warm and it will not decompose. For plastic mulches you need an irragation system. The growth of plants through using plastic mulches is accelerated as from the additional heat produced and the increased moisture.

Conclusion

So there you are a nice breakdown on the mulches available and the pros and cons of each type. For a landscaping viewpoint ensure the mulch you choose has the visual impact you desire also for the surrounding climate.