4 types of mulch on the site - the pros and cons of using

Mulching - a very important procedure. But not everyone knows what it is and how to use it. This article will talk about four main types of mulch, about advantages and disadvantages.

What is mulch

Mulch - organic and inorganic materials used for covering soil. It performs several functions: harboring, wind protection, fertilizer, moisture retention.

Mulch can cook yourself from sawdust, pine needles, bark, compost and other materials.

inorganic mulch

Inorganic mulch is made from materials that are not associated with plants. Most often it is gravel, ceramic or marble chips.

This mulch protects the soil from the great destruction and retains moisture. Further, the inorganic mulch can be of different colors and different patterns, which makes it very decorative.

But this kind can not be used as a fertilizer, since it has no nutrients.

Best of all inorganic mulch looks in flower beds, alpine slides, on garden paths.

It also may include an inorganic black mulch film. It is often used to cover the soil for growing crops. The film should always be black to stop weed growth.

mulching with sawdust

Mulching should be carried out rotted sawdust, as fresh material draws from the soil nitrogen and oxidizes the soil. Sawdust should perepret not less than a year.

Filings can mulch tree trunks, flower beds, paths. Material perfectly suppresses weed growth, soil moisturizes, protects the soil from freezing and overheating.

After covering of sawdust, the land becomes more breathable.

mulching with compost

Compost - a cheap, and in some cases, virtually free material for high-quality mulch. Compost created from plant residues, various herbs and leaves.

To better perepreval composition, it is sometimes necessary to sprinkle the ground and water.

Mulch should be used compost, which is rot at least 2 years. This is necessary in order to perepreli weed seeds and did not germinate after mulching.

Compost can cover tree trunks, the ground under the bushes of raspberry, currant, honeysuckle and other fruit plants.

Compost is good in that it comprises a large number of nutrients, which fall into the soil after mulching.

mulching bark

Widespread among gardeners won mulch from the bark of pine or larch. It can be of different sizes (from a few centimeters to large pieces).

Bark shelter beds with strawberries, tree trunks of fruit trees and shrubs.

Bark perfectly retains moisture, protects the soil from freezing and overheating. But as fertilizer, this material is not suitable as it does not contain virtually no nutrients.

But this kind of mulch is durable, can be used for three years without replacement.

Before choosing a mulch for the site, you need to determine what functions it should perform.