Mulching of soil

This farming is familiar to many farmers. The process is "peeped" in a wise nature. Mulching the soil is beneficial in many ways: it enriches the soil itself, helps to develop and breathe the root system, reduces the growth of weeds. Through the mulch, the rays of the sun can not penetrate, which means that the soil does not overheat even in the greatest heat. In addition, soil mulching is an additional fertilizer. And natural. Mulch, sprinkled under the plants in spring, over the summer is processed by microorganisms and will turn into a light fertile black earth. Imagine how fertility will rise if mulching soil is carried out constantly, every year!

But you need to mulch properly. How to do this and what is mulch, let's consider in this article.

Mulch always has only an organic composition. As mulch serve sawdust, pieces of bark, crushed leaves (twigs, grass), etc. You can use cardboard. Some even offer newspapers for mulching. But here the environmental friendliness of the material is in question (it is enough to look at the composition of printing inks). It is undesirable to use synthetic materials (polyethylenes, for example), although this material protects the plant from overheating and allows moisture to remain longer in the roots, but it will not naturally fertilize, because it decomposes for long and long years.

Before mulching, you will need to clarify the granulometric composition of the soil. Heavy loams, for example, are not covered with a thick layer, - here a layer of two centimeters is sufficient. A pine sawdust will increase (and significantly) the acidity of the soil. It is better to periodically pour mulch as necessary, than to immediately pour a thick layer. Then the lower part will not rot (especially with large dampness). On such soils, the structure will improve in three to four years (for the formation of compost land of 1 cm thick, it will take a year).

Mulching of the soil is appropriate at any time. Usually the main work is done in the spring. However, in process of planting seedlings, new shoots, etc., this procedure is carried out additionally. For example, mulching strawberries or grapes is carried out immediately after planting the shoots (shoots) or cuttings in the ground, pouring mulch as necessary during the season.

Maybe so-called temporary mulching, when instead of mulch use a film. Usually this is a silvery black or completely black film (polymer). Many gardeners spend mulching strawberries just such a film. Before planting, it is spread out and fixed, then at the landing sites make holes that are abundantly watered. The film keeps the temperature and moisture well. But with an extremely hot summer can play a cruel joke. The polymer film serves about three years (it is not cleaned for the winter).

Well and now separately about each material for mulching.

Peat will retain moisture and protect from sunny burning rays. Clayey soil will make light and air-intensive, and sandy soil will be connected and moisture-consuming.

The bark and chips are more suitable as decorative covering for bushes or trees. They have a beneficial effect on raspberries.

Needles - a beautiful mulch for strawberries (strawberries), does not allow the spread of gray rot. However, it oxidizes the soil.

The manure is mixed with the soil (with the top layer). Suitable for any plant and for any soil, but should be well reborn.

Compost garden, of course, inferior to manure, but also able to improve the structure of any land, protecting both from hypothermia and overheating.

Grass-cut grass is a fine mulch for beds with vegetables. But it fits the dried up. Suitable for mulching and weeded weeds.

Sawdust is a find for perennial crops. It is desirable to use in a mixture with ash or nitrogen fertilizers (50 g per square meter will accelerate the decomposition of sawdust)

Straw cutting is available in rural areas and is quite cheap. But minus it in the high content of weed seeds. Requires additional nitrogen fertilizer application.

The listed materials for mulching are the most common, but others can also be used: wool waste, flax, paper, etc. The main thing is that you do not introduce harmful substances from the mulch.