Mulching and Beyond
The primary advantage of mulch is that it creates a protective barrier to the roots of plants and trees and an additional soil layer to retain nutrients. Mulch suppresses weeds, holds water, reduces soil erosion, preserves soil nutrients, and aids with pest management.
There are many natural mulching choices, some of which are even available in your own garden. The greatest naturally decomposing mulches include bark, wood chips, pine needles, straw, and grass clippings. Alternately, you can incorporate non-organic, non-decomposing materials such as black plastic, landscape fabric, recycled tires, pebbles, and river rock. We discourage the use of recycled tires and black plastic.
There are literally dozens of benefits of mulching for your landscaping project, but our top five are as follows:
Control weeds. Weeds can damage your plants and parasite weeds can kill them. It covers the soil, making it tougher for weeds to develop. The extra layer blocks sunlight from reaching weed-growing areas. Weeds love wide regions because they may drop seeds and germinate easily. It prevents weed seeds from touching soil by covering the bare ground. 200-54,000 weed seeds per square foot of soil.
Retain moisture. Ensure your landscape can handle intermittent rainfall as part of your landscaping strategy. Mulch keeps the soil wet. The extra layer prevents the sun from draining moisture during the day, resulting in cool, moist soil for healthy plants.
Prevent soil erosion. Mulch helps reduce soil erosion in commercial or residential landscaping projects. Mulch keeps the soil moist, preventing erosion. It protects the soil from strong rainfall and wind, which might sweep it away.
Maintain soil nutrients. It creates and maintains healthy soil nutrients. Material protects nutrients from rain and wind. Organic mulch breaks down and releases nutrients into the soil, keeping it rich and healthy. Worms and soil bacteria help break down debris, providing critical nutrients for healthy soil ecology.
Control pest. Mulch helps reduce pests and insects, which can hinder your landscaping success. Some mulches are better pesticides than others. Some bark repels certain insects but not others, so keep that in mind when buying mulch; consult an expert for advice. Strong-smelling mulches, like cedar, are most efficient at repelling insects.
Get expert advice on the benefits of mulching from trusted landscaping experts in Lynn, MA. Reach out to W.Martin Landscaping by calling (978) 396-9497 today!