The content of the garden where berries or vegetables are grown must necessarily include measures for the protection and nutrition of plants. Moreover, if the garden is small or the summer house is kept away from the city, then it is advisable to use the obtained mulch for this purpose with your own hands. It will not be difficult to figure out what mulch is and where to get it, since it is prepared literally from improvised materials. The only point that should be taken into account even before the preparation of this top dressing is the type of plant and the effect that should ensure mulching.
What is mulch?
In the creation of mulch weeds, leaves, old sawdust, straw, husks, compost and other materials, waste, and processed products can be used. The main condition is to get a set of nutrients from this raw material. In addition, to understand what mulch is and where to get it at home, you can turn to ordinary manure. If in the fall it is put in a specially prepared place, then by spring it will find the optimal condition for use in mulching. Next, it is necessary to scatter it on the soil surface and wait until it is "pulled" by worms in the bowels of the earth. This is how humus is distributed at the level of the soil where the root system is located . Other types of mulch are treated in a similar way - the scheme is simple: to spread the dressing in the beds, if possible, fence the place with borders and wait until the organic produce results in the form of a rich harvest.
The positive effects of mulch
The mulch cover provides the soil layer with the necessary supply of beneficial microorganisms. In the process of decomposition of this layer, the mineralization of nutrients is accelerated and the efficiency of their development by plants increases. That is, the definition of what mulch in the garden can have two interpretations. On the one hand, this is a technical operation to protect and nourish the soil layer, and on the other, it is the necessary fertilizing for the growth and development of cultivated plants. The decomposition of mulched organics is carried out directly in the soil layer, as a result of which all valuable trace elements reach the goal and do not die in vain. In some cases, the presence of a cover with mulch eliminates the need for loosening the soil, since the root system of plants receives an optimal supply of oxygen due to the absence of a dense crust on the surface.
Dark or light?
As you know, the intensity of absorption of heat and light is to a large extent determined by the color of the object. Since the interaction of the soil layer with the sun is one of the most important parameters determining its fertility, it is worth considering the color of the mulch, which will cover the bed. In particular, this will allow to regulate the thermal regime of the soil. And again the question is what is mulch and where to get it to get the right color? Sawdust and straw can be used for light material, and humus and foliage for dark material. But another thing is important. It is first necessary to correctly determine what the soil needs at the given moment, since thermoregulation by mulching can play both a positive and a negative role. For example, a dark cover will provide it with heat retention, and a light cover will minimize the influx of sunlight, which will reduce the likelihood of overheating of the soil.
Freshly cut grass mulch
Freshly cut grass is the most affordable material that can easily be found by both a summer resident and a gardener. The problem with the question of what mulch is and where to get it will disappear by itself, since it can be prepared from lupine, alfalfa, mustard, nettle and pea stalks. That is, a set of quite common herbs that grow in almost all regions of Russia. The composition will be more effective if all these herbs are included in it without exception - the soil will be enriched with micronutrients of different groups, which will improve the structure of the fertile layer and the growth rate of vegetables. In addition, mulch from the above herbs helps to eliminate pests. For example, young stalks of nettle scattered along the aisle will protect strawberries from snails. A chrysanthemum will help in the fight against the bear, and marigolds with marigolds will scare off the nematodes.
Compost mulching
Compost itself is a good tool for structuring the soil and supplying vegetation with useful substances. It contains live microorganisms that destroy harmful bacteria in the soil layer. This is another example for those who want to figure out what mulch is. The photo below illustrates compost mulching.
Such a cover becomes a barrier not only for pests, but also prevents plant diseases. Compost mulch can be only 2–3 cm thick, but this layer is enough to provide protection to plants, the effect of which is not comparable to any chemical fungicide. For some varieties, there are direct indications of specialists on the use of compost mulching - these, for example, include roses and tomatoes, which are prone to diseases.
Woodchip mulch
This material is suitable as a means of mulching soil intended for perennial flowers. If there is a problem finding a place to get this type of mulch, and there is no wood chips of its own, then you can replace it with bark. One way or another, the finished material will have a beneficial effect on the protective qualities of the soil, suppress the development of weeds and retain water. By the way, this is the most durable cover among all analogues. Woodchip mulch is able to maintain its original properties throughout the year.
But there are restrictions on the use of this means of mulching. Chips can not be used if it evaporates an acetic or acidic odor. In such conditions, the plant may die after a couple of hours. The presence of such a pungent odor is due to the fact that acetic acid contained in wood chips is liberated liberally during rotting without access to oxygen. When deciding where to get the mulch in the spring, you should carefully look at other wood materials. In extreme cases, you can use the branches of conifers, which are no less effective and, depending on the plant, can double the yield.
Coating material mulch
Mulching is often performed using household film or woven materials. Having covered the bed with such a flooring, it is possible to retain moisture, suppress weeds and loosen the soil. Now the question should be answered: what is mulch and where to get it to form such a coating? The cover can consist of cardboard, roofing felt and tar - the main thing is that the material does not transmit light.
The advantages of this method of mulching include practicality and durability. Depending on the characteristics, this layer may persist for several years. But there is a serious minus. Unlike humus, wood chips and compost, such a shelter will not provide food. As a maximum, it is possible to achieve optimal regulation of moisture and temperature on the soil surface, as well as physical protection of the plant.