Fall is a great time to mulch your garden. Because organic mulches break down and feeds your soil it is recommended that you add an additional inch of organic mulch to your garden every year in the spring or fall. It provides many benefits including:
- Mulch is a great weed suppressant. By covering the soil you deprive the weed seeds from the light they require to germinate.
- Mulch helps retain soil moisture. Maintaining a consistent level of moisture in your soil will help you grow healthy plants that are less likely to become stressed and will be better able to resist insects and diseases. Not to mention cutting down your water bill in the summer!
- Mulch feeds the soil. As organic mulch breaks down over time, it will add nutrients and organic matter to your soil.
- Mulch helps you control soil erosion. Garden mulch applied especially in the fall keeps the severe weather conditions of winter from eroding your soil and robbing it of valuable nutrients.
- Mulch acts as an insulator. The mulch will act in two ways to shield your plants from the winter’s cold and by insulating the frozen soil from the sun rays to keep your plants in the protective state of dormancy.
So how much mulch do you need to do an effective job? The best amount is between two and four inches. It will suppress the weeds, plus moisture and oxygen will be exchanged to keep the roots healthy. If you put too much mulch you will notice that moisture will run off and the amount of oxygen in the soil will be reduced causing the roots to rise closer to the surface. Too little mulch will allow sun through causing weed seeds to germinate, and moisture will not to be held in the soil.
Along with applying the right amount of mulch, you also need to make sure that it isn't pushed up against your plants so that moisture is not held causing rot. Pull the mulch back from tree trunks, shrubs and about an inch from the crown of your annuals, perennials, and vegetables.
