What is an organic mulch?

Organic Mulch is a material that is applied to the surface of garden soil to protect planting and improve the soil structure. The mulch is considered organic if it is made of a material that was previously living plant matter. Examples of organic mulch include crushed leaves, compost and crushed corn ears. The mulch achieves this by helping the soil to maintain moisture by minimizing evaporation. As a result, plants and trees must be connected less often and experience less drought stress. Organic mulch acts as an insulator by maintaining soil at a relatively constant temperature. This can be particularly useful in the spring, when warmer soil temperatures promote plant growth. The mulch prevents the light from reaching the seeds. If the weeds are germinated, thick layers will prevent weed seedlings from reaching the surface. The decomposition process attracts earthworms and improves the soil structure by improving aeration and drainage. The mulch protective layer will help prevent compaction from heavy rains or walking on the soil while it is wet.

Using an organic mulch, some problems are connected, but many can be controlled or easily corrected. In wet climates, organic mulch can maintain too much moisture. Wet mulch can compact and balance, attract rodents or stimulate mushroom and mold growth. Gardeners can prevent this from breathing or regularly mixing the mulch. If the wet mulch is a constant problem, the thinner layer allows to evaporate part of the moisture.

Most organic mulch levels increase pH levels with mild soils as materials decompose, leading to slightly alkaline soil. The process of decomposing mulch made of wood materials also exhausts the nitrogen level in the soil, which requires the occasional use of nitrogen -rich fertilizer. The lack of nitrogen prevents plants from using all available nutrients in the soil, although the soil is otherwise quite fertile.

mulch should be applied in the spring after the soil has heatedis. Otherwise, the mulch could suppress the spring growth by maintaining the soil too cold. The mulch should not be applied until the new planting is 4 to 6 inches high (10 to 15 cm).