Mulch is the unsung hero of garden and flower beds everywhere. One of the most beneficial things a home owner can do for their home’s flower and garden beds is layering on the mulch. Mulch provides a layer of protection on top of the soil. The two types of mulches available are inorganic and organic. Inorganic, as the name implies are made from non-living or non-carbon containing substances. This includes shredded rubber, gravel, river stone, pea stone, and landscaping fabric. Organic mulch is derived from living or naturally occurring substances. Examples include bark, wood chips, leaves and pine needles. Both types afford multiple benefits.
Mulch in Connecticut provides numerous benefits, including:
* Moisture Retention -: Mulch of all varieties help in retaining moisture by reducing the rate of evaporation, especially during periods of drought. In addition, the organic mulches will absorb water which reduced the frequency of watering to be performed.
* Suppression of Weeds -: A protective layer of either type of mulch will suppress most weeds by limiting or preventing sunlight to reach the weed seeds.
* Prevention of Soil Erosion -: Both types serve to prevent rainwater from washing the soil out of garden and flower beds. The layer of mulch actually limits the impact of the rainwater lessening the force with which it hits the soil.
* The Addition of Nutrients -: As organic mulch decomposes it adds nutrients back to the earth, an attribute that inorganic mulches cannot provide. The mulch layer also helps to retain the nutrients by preventing them from being washed away. Protection -; Both types of mulch help the soil to keep an even soil temperature, which is important in the spring months when temperatures fluctuate the most. Mulch protects the plant’s roots in the cold winter months and inhibits soil heaving during the frost-thaw cycles. Mulch also protects plants by preventing the soil from splashing onto the leaves thus limiting the potential for soil-borne diseases.
Mulch in Connecticut also provides aesthetic benefits by creating a finished look to the landscape. A thorough weeding of the beds should be done before layering mulch. For newly flower or garden beds, it is recommended to layer to a depth of 3-inches. When mulching around trees, a three to four-foot diameter is recommended being careful not to pile the mulch against the tree trunks.