Mulching beds - yes or no?
In these cases, your plants will benefit from ground cover
Created: 07/12/2022, 09:08
By: Andrea Stettner
Mulch isn’t just good for keeping pesky weeds at bay.
Your garden plants will reap even more benefits - as long as you do it right.
Mulch is used in the garden as a ground cover - and not just for visual reasons.
Soil
cover
offers a number of useful benefits resulting from the choice of mulching material.
Why should I mulch my beds?
On the one hand, mulch
protects the plants from strong weather influences
such as sun, wind, heavy rain or frost in winter.
On the other hand, it supplies the soil with valuable nutrients.
At the same time, weeds are put under control.
This results in numerous advantages for your garden:
Bark mulch protects the plants in the bed from drought.
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Protection against soil erosion:
Covering your bedding plants with mulch prevents the valuable soil from being blown away by the wind or washed away by rain.
Protection from drying out:
the mulch layer
keeps the soil cool and moist, providing excellent protection against drying out in hot weather.
Protection against frost:
Unexpected snow and cold snaps in spring cannot harm sensitive plants because the mulch keeps them warm.
Mulching
improves the soil
.
You can also tell the quality of your soil by looking at a weed.
Plant growth is stimulated by mulching.
The
harvest
is more plentiful.
Mulch prevents
weed
growth , eliminating the need for weeding and making your garden easier to maintain overall.
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Grass clippings, bark mulch or straw: what can I use to mulch my beds?
Not every mulch material is suitable for every purpose, so you should adapt the material to the desired effect:
Grass
clippings are very popular for mulching.
The contained nitrogen and potassium provide all plants with valuable nutrients, such as vegetable plants or hedges.
However, make sure to dry the grass a little beforehand and only apply a thin layer - otherwise there is a risk of rot or mold spreading.
Lawn can also be mulched with the remaining lawn clippings after mowing.
Bark mulch
is also
ideal for mulching trees and shrubs, for example.
The slightly resinous-smelling parts of the bark are mainly used to create easy-care beds.
On the other hand, if the mulch smells sour or sulphurous, it is spoiled and should never be applied - otherwise it will damage the plants.
The red-brown
pine bark
, on the other hand, is often used for garden paths, under trees, shrubs or for potted plants.
Pine bark mulch is not only an excellent supplier of nutrients, but also improves the soil structure and inhibits weeds.
After flowering, strawberries are mulched
with dry
straw .
This should prevent the fruit from getting moldy and should keep snails out of the bed.
But straw is also laid out under cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes for better ventilation.
Special
mulch paper
made from corn starch, which is commercially available, should ensure a rich harvest in the vegetable patch.
This increases the temperature in the soil, which is particularly beneficial for heat-loving plants.
By the way, not only lawn cuttings are suitable as plant fertilizer, but also other natural household remedies such as coffee grounds.
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