What is mulch mulching. Features of mulching with film and textiles

Growing different kinds of culture in the garden and in the garden it is important to provide them with protection against diseases and pests. Mulch is just an excellent solution to this problem. Understanding what mulching of the soil is, it is worth saying that this is a layer of organic or industrial materials with which the gardener covers the soil, where berry bushes, trees or vegetables grow. More details about varieties and methods of mulching will be discussed later.

What is mulch and why is it needed?

The gardener must know how and how to mulch the soil correctly, because this is the path to a high-quality and rich harvest.

This special technology protects plants from weeds and diseases. Various materials can be used as mulch, the structure of which allows them to be used for sheltering the soil. Besides the fact that mulch is often used for decorative purposes, it is also able to provide:

Root protection, due to the preservation of the desired moisture and acidity in the soil;
maintaining the temperature in the soil, as well as the nutrient medium;
care at sharp drops in temperature;
protection against weeds.

A useful property of properly selected mulch is also that it does not harden and thus does not form a hard crust, allowing plants to grow.

It is worth noting that mulch, depending on the material chosen for this procedure, is organic and inorganic. We will talk about each option so that the gardener can make a decision himself, from which he wants to make mulch for his site.

Types of Organic Mulch

Organic mulch, as the name implies, consists in the use of materials of organic origin. Usually this is what remains after standard agricultural activities. Let us describe in more detail the most popular and widely used options.

Sawdust and wood chips

Chips and sawdust are excellent for mulching garden shrubs, for example, or, as well as those beds in the garden, which are rarely amenable to digging and other processing. The fact is that such a mulch finally decomposes in about one and a half to two years. This must be taken into account so as not to encounter problems when developing the site in the future.

The best discussed method works on raspberries, or in those places where crops are placed in the winter. Organic matter itself must be introduced in this case at the end of autumn.

In the event that it was decided to make mulch from wood chips or sawdust, you need to understand that such a material is able to develop a lack of nitrogen in the soil, since wood absorbs this substance from the soil during rotting. Avoid nitrogen starvation in a completely simple way. Before spreading the material, it is necessary to feed the soil with mullein infusion either.

Note! Sawdust, which was stored for a long time in a corner of the garden, most likely managed to “sour”, since there is probably a shortage of oxygen in the depths of this pile. Such material is categorically not suitable for mulching the beds, because it not only does not bring plants benefits, but also can do harm. In this case, the sawdust must first be spread out in a thin layer and allowed to dry thoroughly.

Mulch from sawdust and wood chips helps in the fight against slugs. The latter prefer smooth and well-moistened surfaces, and therefore wood material will not be attractive to them.

Straw

Mulching beds with straw is a very common option. It is recommended to lay this material with a layer of the order of 15 centimeters thick. It should be understood that such a mulch will not interfere with the further development of plants, because very soon the straw will settle at least 7-8 cm.

Straw is best used to mulch potatoes and tomato beds. Tomatoes will be saved from many bacteria in the soil, they will not succumb to early rot, leaf blotch and anthracnose. Potatoes under a straw mulch will be protected from the attack of the Colorado potato beetle.

Such material can also cover the soil under garlic, blackberries, and basil.

Coniferous bark

Making mulch with your own hands from the bark is not at all difficult, because almost every summer resident has such material. The bark can repel water, which is the reason for its long decomposition. It is best to use bark for garden trees and shrubs.

Bark taken from conifers should not be used to mulch tomatoes. The fact is that fragrant volatile elements that are released by such a material will become fatal to tomatoes.

Among other things, the bark looks very attractive as a mulch. Many gardeners prefer to use its decorative properties, mulching flower beds. Such a study of the site will be not only useful, but also beautiful. Modern designers are increasingly advised to use crushed bark in the design of the garden.

Needles

Mulching needles really like strawberries, blueberries and eggplant. Despite the fact that some gardeners refuse such material, since they believe that the needles oxidize the soil, it was experimentally proved that covering the beds with a 7-cm layer of pine needles will only positively affect the plants. Even if you mulch the same beds for two consecutive years, the acidity of the soil will hardly change. Mulching of strawberries with needles should be carried out in the fall.

It is again worth recalling the decorative properties of mulch. The needles often mulch flowers on the flower beds, using the material as a decor. Additionally, reeds and chopped pine cones can be used.

Fallen leaves

Mulching the soil in autumn is also often done with fallen leaves. Almost any foliage is suitable, but some summer residents prefer the leaves of individual plantations, for example, walnut.

You need to understand that the leaves in the process of decay turns into a very valuable organic top dressing. They include potassium, calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, etc. Such elements work very well to improve the quality of growth and development of plant crops.

An interesting experiment was conducted in one of the forestries. The employees removed the natural forest litter from the fallen leaves in a certain area and repeated this for several years. As a result, the growth of plantings in the forest decreased by about 20%. In order to restore the forest soil to its original state and thereby resume the growth of new trees, it took twice as much time.

You can use fallen leaves to mulch cabbage, beans, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. It is important to carry out the procedure after the soil has warmed up well.

Deciduous material can also be used on flower beds. With severe frosts, this product will perfectly protect the root system, and as soon as the first spring heat arrives, the bulbs will not be able to germinate quickly, thereby they will be safe from possible repeated frosts.

Mowed grass and weeds

It is no secret that a large amount of nitrogen-containing substances is present in herbaceous plants. Weeds can be used any that are collected after weeding the site. Mowed grass for mulching can also be taken, for example, after mowing the lawn.

Be sure to pay attention to the fact that mulching is best done only with dried mowed grass - hay. Or at least well-withered. The fact is that freshly picked plants will attract slugs and snails, and they can also begin to rot on the site.

If you mulch cabbage with tomato leaves, you can protect this culture from cabbage whites - a very unpleasant pest.

But raw grass can also be used. Only it should mulch the soil when there is no longer any crop on the site. This can be done in late autumn, during the rainy season. Before the first frosts come, the grass and weeds will already have time to overtake well and become an excellent fertilizer for vegetables of the next season.

Nettle

Not many people know that nettle can grow far from every site. Such a weedy plant is very moody and can develop only in soil, which is rich in humus and has a high-quality structure. This means that the gardener, who noticed nettles on his plot, can only rejoice, because this is a clear signal that the soil in this place is pretty good.

Nettle is an excellent material for mulching. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. For instance, in terms of iron, this weed can compete with many medicinal plants. As for the presence of nitrogen, nettle leaves far behind even peat and straw, not like manure.

It is best to use young nettles as mulch. This will not be a problem, since they begin to mulch just at the beginning of summer.

Moss

Such material is suitable only for sites with non-acidic soil, because moss is able to increase the level of acidity.

Moss as a mulch is prohibited for strawberries and strawberries, because these berry plants simply rot under it. And here for blueberries, raspberries, radishes and potatoes, moss will be an excellent mulch.

With this material, you can also safely mulch roses, azaleas and some other flowers. Many gardeners also cover this pear and mulch. Moss tends to collect excess moisture from the soil, thus protecting the trees from waterlogging, but in the period of drought it will return the same moisture back. In addition, the material under discussion is an excellent antiseptic.

Peat

Mulching with peat, perhaps, was carried out by almost every summer resident. The material is accessible and very useful, it does not raise doubts about its favorable properties in any gardener.

Such fertilizer from marshy areas is often used in the process of planting a variety of plants. Peat perfectly protects the earth from weathering and leaching of useful components, and also does not allow pathogenic flora to develop in it. At the end of the season, such mulch does not need to be removed from the garden, because it will gradually connect to the soil and thereby make its composition better.

In a peat garden, it is best to mulch those crops that need increased care, such as tomatoes. Such a substrate for nightshade should be applied as soon as the tomatoes are well rooted, this is about a few weeks after planting seedlings in the soil.

Peat mulch is ideal for raspberries. The material is able to create excellent conditions for the development of such a shrub, which, as you know, loves moisture very much. The soil under peat will store water, become more loose, thereby allowing raspberry bushes to take root better.

Inorganic mulch

Mulching with inorganic materials consists in covering the site with rocks or industrial products. Such a mulch protects the soil well, but, of course, does not fulfill the additional function of fertilizer.

In general, an inorganic can be classified as follows:

Film (usually black, but sometimes colored), cardboard and paper;
stones - pebbles, crushed stone, gravel, etc .;
expanded clay.

The second and third species from the list are often used for decorative purposes, as they perfectly decorate landscape and garden compositions. Today on sale you can find stones of different colors, which allows you to realize any design fantasies.

As for the film, it retains moisture well in the soil. But at the same time, such material can be used only once, since by the next year it will already become unusable. Those who decide to use film for mulching should be aware of a number of points that they may have to face:

Watering. We need to think about how the plants will be moistened - drip or through holes in the coating;
Slug. They can gather under the film, so this will also need to be fought;
Heat. It should be understood how high the ability of plants covered by a film to tolerate overheating, which is enhanced due to the greenhouse effect under the film.

You can extend the life of the film by covering it with an additional thin layer of straw or hay.

The film is often used as mulch in rock gardens. It does not allow weeds to grow. But in order not to spoil the aesthetic appearance of the compositions, decorative stones are laid on top of it.

Today, textile materials (geotextiles), which are made on the basis of polypropylene fiber, are very popular among summer residents. Such material is cheap, but high quality. It is able to absorb the rays of the sun and prevent weeds from germinating on the site.

Mulching film

Such a film needs to be laid on the bed, and fastened at the edges with brackets made of thick strong wire. You can also use ordinary boards to secure it, or the ground itself, which should be poured at the edges.

In order to plant garden crops, you will need to make small incisions in the form of a cross or a slit directly at the site of planting. Next, you need to dig a hole and plant the plant itself. Through the slots should be abundantly water the bed.

If perennial plants, such as strawberries, were covered with film mulch, then at the end of the season it is absolutely not necessary to remove the film from the garden. Such an inorganic mulch can stay there as long as the strawberry itself will grow, and this is about 3-4 years. But at the same time, one must not forget to feed the soil, because the film does not decompose, which means that fertilizer cannot work. It’s best to mulch this soil before mulching it.

Despite the fact that the film helps to retain moisture in the soil for a long time, you still need to water the area periodically. Natural moisture in the form of rain or fog is then excluded, so watering should always be remembered.

Features of paper mulching

Any type of cardboard and paper can be used as mulch. Newspaper sheets, sheets of notebooks, kraft paper, etc. are suitable. Such material can be used in its entirety, or can be ground beforehand. The thickness of the mulch layer on the plot should be approximately equal to the thickness of the folded four times newspaper sheet.

Paper mulch perfectly protects garden plants from weeds, and to increase its effectiveness, you can additionally lay straw, hay, or ordinary soil on top of the paper. Surprisingly, it was experimentally proven that using paper instead of a film, you can literally warm the earth by 2-3 degrees in a day, which helps very well when planting seedlings. Also, according to truckers, the use of paper as mulch can significantly increase the yield of legumes and raspberries.

There is an erroneous opinion that the printing ink present on newspaper pages can harm plant crops. It is worth noting that experts reject this myth, arguing that not one of the components that make up such material does harm to garden and garden plants.

Video: egg trays like mulch

Some gardeners have learned how to use egg trays made from pressed paper as mulch for potatoes, onions, carrots and other garden plants. You can learn more about such an interesting option by watching the video:

Mulching soil in a greenhouse

Many gardeners, especially beginners, often wonder about the need to mulch the soil in greenhouses. According to experts, this is definitely worth doing. Thanks to the mulch, you can not only avoid the growth of weeds, but also save a lot of useful substances in the soil.

An equally important factor in favor of laying the mulch in the greenhouse is that many of the plants that grow there do not tolerate excess moisture. So, mulching tomatoes and cucumbers in a greenhouse will protect them from bacteria and fungal diseases. The seedlings will be separated using mulch from moistened soil, which will help them stay healthy and avoid rotting.

Also, mulching in the greenhouse will greatly simplify the maintenance of plantings, reduce the number of irrigation and tillage. And in a year the soil itself will become noticeably more fertile and richer with microelements.

Conclusion

Summing up, it is worth noting once again the importance and usefulness of such an event as mulching. Each gardener will be able to choose the material for sheltering the site to his taste. At the same time, plant care will be significantly simplified, as well as a significant increase in productivity.

Mulch is a decorating material in the landscape design of the site. Role mulch can carry out any material that is laid on the surface of the soil to preserve moisture, suppress weeds, as well as to decorate flower beds and decorative groups of trees and shrubs.

Examples of organic mulch include the following materials:

crushed or chopped bark
compost
manure
mowed grass
shredded leaves
straw or hay
sawdust
wood chips

Organic Mulch decomposes over time and needs to be replaced. But it is in the process of decomposition that the mulch increases the content of organic substances in the soil. Before you buy, for example, manure or compost, you should ask about their origin, as these materials may contain viable weed seeds, which subsequently begin to germinate.

Where is organic mulch used:

As inorganic mulch The following materials apply:

black or color plastic film
garden covering material
stones, gravel, colored synthetic material

Inorganic materials for mulching help maintain moisture and protect against weeds. They do not introduce any beneficial substances into the soil, but they do not decompose, and do not require frequent replacement.

I use plastic film and geotextiles more often in those places where I would like to avoid frequent weeding. These materials can be used not only around trees and shrubs, but also on garden beds. However, the plastic film creates a high temperature on hot summer days, and along with weeds it can also damage the roots of healthy plants with a lack of moisture. Therefore, you need to make sure that the size of the holes in the film is sufficient so that the water freely passes into the soil. If puddles form on the film, then additional holes need to be created. Such problems should not arise with geotextiles, since the fabric has a porous structure.

Mulching - This is a coating of the soil under the vegetable plants with a protective layer. You can also mulch the soil between the beds or rows of vegetables. As mulch, various materials are used.

In nature, under the trees and shrubs there is always a layer of fallen leaves, needles, dead plant remains. This organic layer protects the soil from erosion, drying out, weathering. Mulching has similar effects. At the same time, it enriches the soil with organic substances and promotes the development of the plant root system.

Mulching prevents the formation of crust on the surface of the soil, reduces the growth of weeds. Accordingly, the number of irrigations is reduced and there is no need to engage in regular weeding. Under a layer of mulch, the earth breathes easier. This is especially true for clay soils, since the mulch does not let in sunlight and does not allow the solidification of the earth.

Under the mulch layer, soil bacteria actively multiply, for which it is an additional source of nutrients. Under the mulch, earthworms and small animals breed well, which contribute to improving the structure of the soil. In summer, a layer of green mulch easily and quickly process microorganisms. In this regard, it must be periodically poured.

Under the mulch layer, soil temperature and humidity are optimal for plants. Changes in soil temperature occur less sharply. This has a positive effect on the metabolism in plants. The greatest effect of mulching is observed in areas with dry weather, as it prevents the evaporation of moisture from the soil. Weeds die under the mulch, as they are deficient in sunlight.

There are three ways to mulch:

coating the beds with black film or special covering material;
sprinkling soil with organic materials (peat, sawdust, humus, etc.);
composting the soil.

The choice of the method of mulching is influenced by the type of soil, climate features, the aim pursued (controlling weeds, reducing the frequency of irrigation, fertilizing the soil).

Tip. Sprinkle the beds with mulch the day after watering. Loosen the soil and remove the weeds first. After treatment, the soil will retain moisture longer, replenish with substances useful for plants and will be sufficiently saturated with oxygen.

Mulching with a black film or covering material is used when growing vegetables and strawberries. In many plants under such a mulch, nutrient requirements are reduced by a third. It should be noted that, before covering the soil, it is necessary to fertilize it. This is best done when planting plants. If possible, immediately after this, the beds are covered with mulching material. With proper handling, black film and other covering materials can be used for several years.

Transparent film and white materials are not suitable for mulching, as they do not stop the growth of weeds.

Under the black film, the soil temperature is 2 ° C higher. In early spring, it covers the beds at night. In the afternoon, the film is removed so that the soil warms up better under the sun. In warm soil in plants, all processes occur more actively. The same applies to the life of soil insects and microorganisms. However, it should be borne in mind that under the film and other covering materials, the soil quickly depletes, since organic plant debris does not enter it.

Under the black film, moisture is well maintained in the ground. Water that evaporates from the surface of the earth accumulates in the form of droplets on the film and again falls back. Therefore, soil moisture is maintained under the film at the same level. Mulching with a black film of row-spacing when growing zucchini, pepper, cucumbers, corn leads to an increase in yield by 30%, in addition, the fruits always remain clean, of good quality and it is much easier to collect them.

Such films are also a means of combating insect pests. Some of them have reflective aluminum inserts for these purposes. The film, unlike organic mulch, protects plants from the appearance of mice.

Tip. You should not make the layer of mulch thick, as its lower part will be damp and rot, especially after rains. That is why on clay soils it is not recommended to make a layer of mulch more than 2 cm. As necessary (once every 2 weeks), mulching should be repeated.

Mulching with organic materials is more beneficial for plants than mulching with black film and covering materials. It especially benefits cabbage, celery, tomatoes, radish, garlic, asparagus.

As mulch, you can use green fertilizers (crushed green parts of plants), plant debris, weeds that have not reached the flowering stage, straw, hay, manure, fallen leaves, chopped bark, sawdust.

A good mulch is compost, including unripened, and a mixture of unripened manure and green mass.

It must be remembered that the greater the fertility of the soil, the sooner the mulch will decompose and turn into humus. Improvement of the structure of heavy soils during mulching appears only after 2-3 years.

Perform it in the summer, immediately after planting and watering the plants. In summer, it is recommended to use only well-shredded mulch. Sprouts appear sprinkled with sand, ripened compost, chopped grass. You can also sprinkle with mulch and aisle.

For winter mulching, plant residues are used (the aerial part of plants, chaff, unfinished manure). You can make a mixture of this and sprinkle it over the entire garden, and not just the beds. Such mulch is poured with light soil with a layer of 10 cm, and with heavy soil - 5-8 cm. It is permissible to add mineral flour to it. This will reduce the formation of an unpleasant odor and increase the intensity of the formation of humus complexes in the soil. You can also add a small amount of bone meal.

Mulching the beds in the winter has some adverse consequences. If the plants hibernated under a layer of mulch, then it is likely that they will suffer from late spring frosts. In the spring, air cushions are mulched under the layer, which make it difficult to warm the soil and contribute to the freezing of plants. Therefore, after winter mulching, it is necessary to repeat it in the spring.

In winter, under earth mulch, the activity of earthworms increases. Therefore, in the spring it is more loose in this area compared to non-mulched areas. Such soil is much easier to cultivate.

In the spring, the old mulch is removed and stacked in a compost heap. When growing vegetables on garden beds and high beds, mulching will be useful. The earth on such beds warms up and dries faster, and the mulch will retain moisture.

It must be borne in mind that each material for mulching has its own characteristics. For example, the remains of garden plants before use as mulch are crushed, mixed with green fertilizers. This view is suitable for any plot in the garden.

Fallen leaves are used for mulching without crushing. You can mix it with other types of mulch.

A valuable type of mulch is hay, especially meadow.

Mulching straw is used both unchanged and mixed with organic materials.

Manure is a type of mulch that is recommended to be used regularly, but in small quantities. Do not use it for mulching in the winter. This is due to the fact that nutrients are easily washed out of it. Pig manure and bird droppings are not suitable for mulching.

To sprinkle paths in the garden, you can use sawdust. If you mix in nitrogen fertilizer, they will decompose faster.

Food waste is used for mulching only after composting.

Needles are an excellent mulch for those plants that prefer acidic soil.

Mulch, prepared from the aerial parts of tomatoes, discourages cabbage whitewash.

Freshly cut grass can be used as mulch. It not only retains moisture in the soil, but also enriches it with nitrogen. It is important that the grass be seedless, otherwise they will sprout throughout the garden. So that the mulch does not rot and does not become a source of infection, the grass is first slightly dried. Beds, planting in greenhouses, areas with potatoes and berry bushes are mulched.

When conducting mulching, a number of rules are observed:

plant stems and the root neck of trees and shrubs are left free from mulch;
under perennial plants, the mulch is stored until the next year, if necessary, additionally;
on beds with annual plants, mulch is dug up together with soil or removed and used to replenish the compost heap;
if the paths or free space between the plants is mulched with hay, then it is better to rake it in a pile and leave it until the next season. It can be reused after drying or sent to a compost heap.

Mulching allows you to do without re-loosening the soil. Under the protective layer it does not dry out, does not compress and is well aerated, which is favorable for plant growth. Fruits low on the mulch are not contaminated. This is especially significant for the harvest of strawberries, pumpkins, cucumbers, which often lies on the beds.

Mulching- This is a coating of the soil under fruit trees or vegetable plants with a protective layer. You can also mulch the soil between the beds or rows of vegetables. As mulch, various materials are used.

Under the mulch layer, soil bacteria actively propagate. For many of them, mulch is an additional source of nutrients (earthworms and small animals multiply well under mulch, which contribute to improving the soil structure. In summer, a layer of green mulch is easily and quickly processed by microorganisms. In this regard, mulch needs to be added periodically.

Under the mulch layer, soil temperature and humidity are optimal for plants. Changes in soil temperature occur less sharply. This has a positive effect on the metabolism in plants. The greatest effect of mulching is observed in areas with dry weather, since mulch prevents the evaporation of moisture from the soil. Weeds die under the mulch, as they are deficient in sunlight.

Mulching Methods

There are three ways to mulch:

✓ covering the beds with black film or special covering material;

✓ sprinkling soil with organic materials (peat, sawdust, etc.);

✓ Composting the soil.

The choice of the method of mulching is influenced by the type of soil, climate features, the aim pursued (controlling weeds, reducing the frequency of irrigation, fertilizing the soil).

Mulching with a black film or covering material is used when growing vegetables and strawberries.

In many plants under such a mulch, nutrient requirements are reduced by a third. It should be noted that it is necessary to fertilize the soil before mulching with these materials. This is best done when planting plants. If possible, immediately after this, the beds are covered with mulching material. When used properly, black film and other covering materials can be used for several years.

Transparent film and white materials are not suitable for mulching, as they do not stop the growth of weeds.

❧ Some plants prefer colored mulch. For example, cabbage has the best growth on a white mulch, and tomatoes - on red. However, mulch of such colors is hardly ever used in practice.

Under a black film, the soil temperature is higher - 2 degrees. In early spring, it covers the beds at night. In the afternoon, the film is removed so that the soil warms up better under the sun. In warm soil in plants, all processes occur more actively.

The same applies to the life of soil insects and microorganisms. However, it should be borne in mind that under the film and other covering materials, the soil quickly depletes, since organic plant debris does not enter it.

Under the black film in the soil, moisture is well maintained. Water that evaporates from the surface of the soil accumulates in the form of drops on the film and again falls back. Therefore, soil moisture is maintained under the film at the same level. Mulching with a black film of row-spacing when growing zucchini, pepper, cucumbers, corn leads to an increase in yield by 30%, in addition, the fruits always remain clean, of good quality and it is much easier to collect them.

If you cover young trees and shrubs with a black film, they will grow faster, it’s better to take root in a new place.

Black film mulching is often done in greenhouses. This prevents the evaporation of moisture from the soil and reduces the humidity of the air indoors. As a result, the number of fungal diseases among plants decreases. This is of particular importance in the cold season, when the air already has high humidity, for example in autumn.

Mulching films are also a means of combating insect pests. Some types of films have reflective aluminum inserts for these purposes. The film, unlike organic mulch, protects plants from the appearance of mice.

Mulching with organic materials is more beneficial for plants than mulching with black film and covering materials. It promotes the growth of both vegetable and ornamental crops. It brings special benefit to white cabbage, celery, tomatoes, radish, asparagus garlic.

As a mulch for the garden You can use green fertilizers (crushed green parts of plants), plant debris, weeds that have not reached the flowering stage, straw, hay, manure, fallen leaves, chopped bark, sawdust.

A good mulch is compost, including unripened, and a mixture of unripened manure and green mass. It is especially good to use such mulching in areas where plants are planted to produce green mass, such as clover. They increase the compost ripening speed and subsequently enrich it.

Beds with berry plants should be under a layer of mulch constantly. In summer, dry and green mulch is used, and for winter, the beds are mulched with manure. With this approach, mulching does not lead to an increased content of nitrates in the berries.

It must be remembered that the greater the fertility of the soil, the sooner the mulch will decompose and turn into humus.

You should not make the layer of mulch thick, as its lower part will be damp and rot, especially after rains. That is why on clay soils it is not recommended to make a layer of mulch more than 2 cm. As necessary (about 1 time in 2 weeks), mulching should be repeated.

Improvement in the structure of heavy soils during mulching appears only after 2-3 years.

For winter mulching, plant residues are used - the ground part of plants, chaff, unfinished manure. You can make a mixture of this and sprinkle it over the entire garden, and not just the beds. Such mulch is poured with light soil with a layer of 10 cm, and with heavy soil - 5-8 cm. Mineral flour can also be added to it. This will reduce the formation of an unpleasant odor and increase the intensity of the formation of humus complexes in the soil. Also add a small amount of bone meal.

Mulching the beds in the winter has some adverse consequences. If the plants hibernated under a layer of mulch, then it is likely that they will suffer from late spring frosts. In spring, air cushions form under the mulch layer, which make it difficult to warm the soil and contribute to the freezing of plants. Therefore, after winter mulching, repeated mulching in spring is necessary.

In winter, under earth mulch, the activity of earthworms increases. Therefore, in spring, the soil in this area is looser compared to non-mulched areas. Such soil is much easier to cultivate.

Mulch acts very well on fruit trees, as well as berry and ornamental shrubs. The soil around them and the paths are mulched. You can use mulch with a long duration (gravel, needles, crushed bark).

Tree trunks under the trees are mulched with mowed grass, shredded green mass, bark, and also fresh compost. Layers of mulch make an average thickness of 5 cm. Mulching the garden for several years significantly increases the permeability of the soil to air.

In gardens, grass must be mowed when it grows to 15–20 cm. After drying, it is used for mulching.

Some gardeners doubt the benefits of mulching with organic materials. Organic mulch is inhabited by worms and insects, it attracts birds, is a shelter for mice and moles. The latter are very harmful to young plants, gnawing them. Therefore, when using organic mulch, it is necessary to fight rodents.

Mulching is performed when growing not only vegetables and berries, but also mushrooms, medicinal, ornamental and spicy aromatic plants. Some believe that the presence of mulch makes plants more fragrant and valuable medicines. When growing some mushrooms, such as ringworms, mulch is poured with a layer of 10 cm. Mulching will help make flower beds and other flower beds more decorative and attractive.

Known Swiss recipe for mulch. It is necessary to mix the crushed straw with the ground and compost for several weeks. After the formation of a homogeneous dark mass, the mulch is ready for use. After downloading, you can leave grass on the lawns. A thin layer of mulch is formed from it. However, during the Rainy season, he is able to rot, then fungal diseases will appear in the grass. Therefore, with regular mowing of grass on lawns, a dense, airtight layer should not be allowed to form. Therefore, at least three times a year, it is recommended to clean the lawn with a rake.

Wood chips and crushed bark are not only a good mulch, but also a decorative element in the garden and on the lawns. You can sprinkle paths with these materials. The thickness of the mulch layer should be 8-10 cm. Such a mulch protects against weeds and erosion of the tracks. Under the wood mulch, it is possible to lay a covering material, but not a film.

Fallen leaves are used for mulching without crushing. You can mix it with other types of mulch.

A valuable type of mulch is hay, especially meadow.

Mulching straw is used both unchanged and mixed with organic materials.

To sprinkle paths in the garden, you can use sawdust. If you mix in nitrogen fertilizer, they will decompose faster.

Food waste is used for mulching only after composting.

Needles are an excellent mulch for those plants that prefer acidic soil.

Mulch, prepared from the ground part of tomatoes, discourages cabbage whitewash.

Any piece of land, whether it is a summer house or a garden where vegetables or fruits are grown, must undergo procedures for the nutrition and protection of plants.

And if this site is far from the city, or it is small in size, then mulch, which can be made without any problems, is perfect for this. To understand what it is - mulch, and where to get it, it will not take long. Since it is being prepared, in the literal sense of the word, from improvised materials.

Mulching the soil what is it?

The only thing you need to pay attention to is what type of plant do you want to protect or nourish using mulching. After all, its composition depends on it. That is why it is necessary to determine before preparing the mulch.

After reading this article, you can cook your own mulch.

First, let's answer the question, what is mulch and how to cook it?

What is mulch?

Mulch is a necessary fertilizing of the earth, which, in turn, affects the growth and development of plants. It may include various wastes and processed products. After all, the main mulch target - This is to get a set of nutritional components.

What can be part of the mulch?

Itself mulching scheme pretty simple. If this is manure, then from autumn it must be left in a special place where in the spring it will be in a condition suitable for mulching. And then - nothing complicated. We scatter it on the soil and wait for the worms to drag it into that part of the earth where the root system of the plant is located.

The thickness of the spread layer should not exceed 5 cm. It is the coating of this width that brings the very effect of nutrition and fertilizer.

Food waste can also be used for mulching, but before you get to the beds, they must go through composting.

Other types of mulching work in exactly the same way.

Stages of mulching the soil:

The beneficial effects of mulch

Mulched land provides the necessary nutrition for microorganisms. When a given fertilizer begins to decompose, it speeds up the process of mineralization of the earth, and also increases its readiness for planting by plants. Another advantage of mulching is that such land does not need cultivation. Since she already receives a large amount of oxygen due to the absence of a hard crust.

Cons of mulching

It is strange to hear that such a good method of fertilizing and feeding the earth has its drawbacks. There are few of them. Only one. Humus attracts many worms, because of which birds flock to the garden from all around. Moles and mice also love to live under mulled land, which has a very negative effect on the root system of the crop. Therefore, in parallel with nutrition, it is necessary to fight rodents.

But, despite its one, but a big minus, mulching remains a very popular type of fertilizer and nutrition.

Mulch, where to get it?

This question excites everyone, and especially a novice gardener. And people whose plot to find near the forest is no exception.

The answer to this question is extremely simple. The simplest and most easily accessible is organic mulch. It can include stems, mowed grass, leaves and everything like that. Ways to get this stuff are also extremely simple. All you need - while caring for the garden collect the above components.

Mulch the soil, what does it mean?

Mulching can be done with your own hands in two ways:

as mentioned earlier - use organic waste;
cover the beds with foil.

Most often, the film is used in three types: red, black and white. Each depending on what is growing under it. Red for, black for vegetables and strawberries, and white is great for cabbage.

Use transparent film highly recommended, as it does not inhibit weed growth. The beds are mulched, in this way they can yield a yield of 30–35% more, and rodents almost do not start. Do not forget that before you cover with a film, you need to make fertilizers.

But it’s clear that organic mulching is much more useful.

Which mulch to choose is solid or light?

The fact is that the color of the mulch affects the intensity of heat absorption. And as you know, fertility is directly dependent on the sun. Therefore, when choosing a mulch color, think in advance about adjusting the warm mode.

But that's not all. It is important to know what land is currently required. : keep it warm, or, conversely, prevent overheating.

All these parameters must be taken into account when choosing a mulch color.

The composition of the light may include straw or sawdust, for the dark, humus and foliage are best suited.

Types of mulching:

1 . Freshly cut grass

One of the most readily available materials. Find grass can be found anywhere and it will not be difficult. Suitable for this any mowed grass: nettle, mustard, stalks of peas, alfalfa. Best if you use all the plants at once. Then the soil will have the opportunity to absorb many different useful trace elements, which will increase growth and fertility.

2. Using compost

Compost is that substance which perfectly destroys the majority of harmful bacteria in the soil. Such a layer will not only be an obstacle to, but will also prevent plants from getting sick. It must be applied to the beds no more than 2-3 cm in height. It will perfectly grab such a layer to protect plants from negative impact.

3. From wood chips

This type of mulching is great for perennial flowers. If you can not find a mulch of this type, then you can use the bark. It will help regulate weed growth and hold back water. During the collection of bark you need sniff carefully. If the bark gives off a pungent smell of vinegar, then it is not at all suitable for mulching. Under it, plants will begin to die a few hours later.

Mulching soil in the fall

When the autumn harvest is already harvested, you can begin to mulch. To do this, it is possible to use unnecessary crop residues. It is also recommended to add mineral flour to existing mulch. It perfectly helps to neutralize an unpleasant odor a little and accelerates the decomposition process, and thereby the exchange of nutrients.

In spring, the soil should warm up as quickly as possible, so the old layer of mulch must be removed. After the earth warmed up, plants are planted or sown, they are watered abundantly. And only then can we begin a new mulching. Places where plants will sprout - you can’t fertilize, the mulch is laid out exclusively between the beds.

It's important to know!

When using mulching on heavy clay soils, it is worth remembering that the height of the application of mulch should not be more than 2 cm. Since nutrients pass poorly into the ground and the process of decay can begin, especially in the rainy season. Also do not forget that beds on such soils must be constantly loosened. And because of the heavy texture, the result of mulching appears only after 2-3 years.