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Mulching Plants
By Michigan State University - Extension
A mulch is any kind of material applied to the soil
surface for protection or aesthetic improvement of the
area covered. The mulch material may
be organic, such as bark or straw, or inert, such as stones or polyethylene
cloth
A mulch helps maintain favorable soil conditions
under it. Increased plant growth is due primarily to conditions resulting from
the use of a given material rather than to any growth-promoting substances
present in the mulch itself.
Mulches have many beneficial effects on the
soil, plants
and the area surrounding the plants. A
mulch:
--Conserves soil moisture by reducing the
evaporation of water from the soil.
--Prevents crusting of the soil surface, thus
improving
absorption and percolation of water to
the soil areas
where roots are growing.
--Maintains more uniform soil temperatures by
insulating
the soil, keeping it warm during cool
spells and cool
during the warm months of the year.
--Reduces weed problems when the mulch material
is weed-
free and is applied deeply enough to
prevent weed seed
germination or to smother existing small
weeds. Proper
use of mulches considerably reduces time
and labor
needed to weed garden areas.
--Adds to the beauty of the landscape by
providing a
uniformly colored ground cover that may
add an
interesting texture to an otherwise drab surface.
--Prevents plants and fruit from becoming mud
splashed and
so reduces losses from soil-borne
diseases.
Despite these beneficial effects, mulches have
limitations. They cannot smother large
weeds or diminish
plant pest problems and may increase slug or
rodent
infestations. Mulches have no marked
influence on the
vitamin or mineral content of the plant
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