How Do You Use Mulch In Your Garden?

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If you have any experience with gardening, you’ve heard about mulch. But sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming figuring out how to use it! Let go of that stress, because I have all the basics you need to know to get started with mulching this season.

What is Mulch?

There are two different types of mulch:

• Organic mulch is made up of materials that were once living, like your compost, sawdust, pine needles, dried leaves, grass clippings, etc.
• Inorganic mulch includes things like gravel and black plastic and landscape fabrics.

Why Use Mulch?

Using either type of mulch mentioned above will inhibit weed growth, keep your soil moist, and even help prevent pests. Organic mulch has some major added benefits- the organic materials will help feed and nourish your plants, encouraging healthy growth.

Mulching Tips.

There are three important things you need to consider before jumping into mulching.

1. Understand the needs of your crop: Different plants need different nutrients. Be sure to research what you are planting to know how to best mulch around each particular plant.
2. Take into account the weather: If you live in a dry climate, a warm climate, a cool climate, or a wet climate, all of these will slightly change the way you use mulch.
3. Pay attention to your soil type: All different types of soils have certain needs to become that cake-like black gold every gardener strives for. Knowing what type of soil you have will help you to determine what it needs so you can better use mulch on top of it. Bare soil equals damaged soil, by the way!

Mulching your garden will obviously have some variables. The way you mulch may not look exactly the way your mom does it. But the following tips will help you on your way to successfully mulching your own garden and reaping a beautiful and delicious harvest.

• Weed first. Mulch helps prevent weeds from taking over your garden, but if you already have weeds galore, mulch isn’t going to do much about them. Before you lay down your mulch, clear the area of as many weeds as possible. Once that’s done, you could lay down newspaper (which is considered organic mulch) before laying the mulch on top to prevent weed growth even further. 2-3 inches of mulch is the general rule, but if you have an area that is particular susceptible to weeds, doubling up that thickness will do the trick.
• Plant in the soil, not in the mulch. If you already have your mulch laid before you’ve planted, pull it all the way back until you can find the soil, then dig your hole for the seed. Leave the mulch pulled back away from the seed. Plants may spring up when planted in the mulch, but they will not survive and bear fruit. Ideally, sow your seeds and wait to mulch until your plants begin to grow so you can mulch around them.
• Pull mulch away from base of trees and plants. Mulch helps retain moister so if it’s piled up against your plants, it’ll cause rot and encourage slugs. Keep the mulch a couple of inches away from the stems of your plants, and several inches away from your tree trunks.
• Turn the mulch. This is as simple as grabbing a garden rake or pitch fork and pushing the mulch around. This can keep any weeds attempting to take root from being successful. It also keeps the mulch from becoming too packed which can inhibit water and oxygen from getting through, especially as you add more mulch each year.

There’s no need to shy away from or stress about mulching. You have just what you need now to get started on your successfully mulched garden!