3 Reasons To Consider Mulching

Mulching is one of the best things that you can do if you are trying to start a garden or maintain an existing one, mostly because mulch can provide a whole host of benefits that can make your garden much easier to deal with. Mulching consists of creating a layer of material over your soil that can be made of anything from bark, straw, wood chips, and even decomposing organic items. Listed below are just a few of the many reasons to consider mulching.

Lowers Garden Maintenance Requirements

A big reason to consider mulch is that it will prevent you from having to weed very often as it inhibits the growth and spread of weeds. A nice added bonus to this is that your plants will be much healthier as they will not have to compete for nutrients with rapidly spreading weeds which will allow you to spend less time spreading fertilizer and plant food across your garden.

Absorbs Moisture

The moisture absorption provided by mulch can mean that your plants will have a ready supply of water for longer periods of time and help you cut down on watering. This is especially useful during droughts or if you simply want to save a bit of money on your water bill. In addition, since the mulch will retain the moisture it will prevent soil erosion, which occurs when rainwater or over-watering can cause the top layer of soil to wash away and take vital nutrients with it.

Controls Plant Temperature

Finally, you will want to consider utilizing mulch in order to provide an insulating layer over your plants' roots. The layer of mulch will serve to keep the roots of the plants cool in the event of a temperature spike in the summer, which will greatly improve their longevity.

The layer of mulch will also act to insulate the plants in the winter so that they do not die from the cold temperatures or suffer from frost-heaving. Frost heaving occurs when the temperatures cool and warm the soil to the point where it contracts and expands, which can force your plants out of the ground entirely.

Contact your local home improvement store or garden center like Mulch Masters in order to discuss how mulch can benefit your garden and to see the many varieties of mulch that are available to you. Mulching can reduce the amount of work that you will need to spend maintaining your garden while also absorbing moisture and protecting your plants from extreme temperatures.