Mulching: A Practical Miracle

What Is Mulch?

Mulch is, usually, an organic covering to be heaped around growing plants. Mulch can consist of straw, fallen leaves, tree bark, chipped trees, and even cocoa hulls (NOTE: Do not use cocoa hulls if you have pets: chocolate in any form is toxic to dogs and cats); there is also a plastic mulch on the market. Mulch is  applied in order to discourage weeds (the botanical pest, not the television series) from appearing--I would be lying if I claimed that mulch entirely eliminated the need to weed--as well as to conserve water and to deliver nutrients, gradually, to the soil. As an added bonus, mulching can help mark the boundary between garden and yard--extremely helpful if you have a housemate who has no clue about gardening and what distinguishes garden from yard (yes, a fence would help too: that has not happened yet and probably will not during this season).

How to Mulch: One Method

The following mulching method works for me: water your garden well, and then spread a layer of compost on the ground, near and surrounding the plants. On top of this compost, spread a heaping layer of mulch--I prefer fallen leaves (hey, they're free) and then water the garden again to wet the leaves (or whatever you use as mulch). You may need to top off the mulch every three to four weeks. Otherwise, be secure in the knowledge that you have saved countless hours weeding and that you are conserving water, nutrients, and much-valued time--leaving you free to sit back and actually enjoy your gardening space.

What are your thoughts about mulching? Please feel free to share your insights in the comments section. 

Christine Matthews [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Mulched snowdrops