Take a moment to considerthe many advantages and disadvantages to mulching your gardens and landscaping depending on your climate and your own wishesthese will depend on your own desires and your climate. If you live in an area that is prone to fire and has high drought circumstances then I suggest that you not use wood chips or sawdust as a mulching medium because as these decompose they become easier to ignite making them a concern for fire. However, you can use other resources including small rocks to help maintain moisture in your soil and prevent erosion from the wind. If rocks are to be a primary ingredient to your mulch you should check out the soil first and see if you need to add nitrogen or other nutrients to assist in plant growth.
One of the advantages to mulching is that we naturally add back into the soil the nutritional elements that our plants require to expand. As the mulch material decomposes it can be lightly worked beneath the top soil and new mulch layered on top. This helps to keep the soil aerated and water retention. Good bacteria and tender roots survive better in this type of soil and are assisted even further more because temperatures in the soil are steadier. Mulching even lends a hand to us in weed check. Mulching helps maintain the edges of garden ponds and lowers the chance ofbefoulment in these ponds. Mulching also acts as a protection to keep the soil from compacting from foot or vehicle traffic which makes it more difficult for plant roots to expand. If you live in a cold climate mulch in the fall to have it break down through the winter months and help prevent your plants from freezing; then lightly turn it under in the spring to help the soil warm before planting. After the soil has come to the proper temperature you can apply another layer of mulch to help keep the proper moisture levels within your soil. If you live in a hot area then mulching can be done at any time that you think your garden could use the provided protection and nutrients.
When making the decision which materials to use for mulching check your soil condition first. Is it low on nutrients such as potash, phosphorous, or nitrogen? What varieties of plants are you going to cultivate in the area? These are considerations that should be addressedyou need to address before you investigate what is uncommitted in your region to benefit your gardens and landscaping the most.
