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Mulching mower
Mulching is the simple practice of taking material and laying it over the surface of the soil. It is a traditional gardening practice that has been used for many years. Today, mulching serves a variety of important purposes in the yard and garden, including:
- Weed Control
- Soil Conditioning and Moisture Retention
- Mud Abatement
- Decorative Ground Cover
Mulching is easy and anyone can do it! The most important consideration when mulching is mulch thickness. “Settled” mulch that is 4” or thicker is unhealthy because it restricts the access of oxygen to the soil. The ability for a mulch material to settle determines how thick the mulch layer should be. For example, a 6” to 8” layer of leaves or pine needles will settle to 2” or 4”, while a 3” to 4” layer of wood chips won’t settle at all. The timing of mulching is also important. Although mulch can be applied anytime during the year, they are best used during the autumn, winter and early spring months. It is during these periods that your mulch can most protect your soil and your plants against hard freezes, erosion and spring weed growth. One concern associated with mulching is its ability to hide pests. Snails, earwigs and mice can move through the mulch, unseen by you, and nibble on your plants. The solution to this is to never mulch all the way up to stems or trunks of flowers or shrubbery. Leave a 12” gap between the edge of the mulch and the stem or trunk to avoid problems.
A Variety of Materials Can be Used as Mulch:
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Shredded Leaves
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Wood Chips
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Pine/Redwood Needles
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Grass Clippings
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Paper
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Wood Chips
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Shredded Bark
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Plastic Sheet
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Rock