What are the advantages of mulching in the garden?

Using mulch in the garden has many advantages both for your plants and for you, the gardener. Not only does it beautify your outdoor space, but mulch also helps reduce the growth of weeds, retain soil moisture, and regulate its temperature. How can mulching become an ally to the garden? Our team gives you its tips.

1. The different types of mulch

To begin with, did you know that there are several types of mulch? Yes, each one has its own characteristics. You probably know some of them:

Organic mulch, such as compost, wood chips or straw... It promotes soil fertility by gradually decomposing and providing nutrients to plants.
Mineral mulches, such as gravel or slate… They offer an aesthetic and durable alternative, ideal for areas where the visual appearance is important. However, it will let weeds through more easily.
Synthetic mulches, such as canvas or plastic film, are useful for limiting the growth of weeds, but can restrict the aeration of your soil.

Each type of mulch has specific advantages, to be chosen according to the needs of the garden and the aesthetic preferences of each person.

2. Organic mulch: Protection for your soil

Did you know that flax mulch acts as a protective layer for your soil and for the roots of your plants? 🌱 Yes! Once your plants are planted in the ground, the mulch chips placed on the surface of the soil will strengthen fragile soils against erosion and compaction.

Mulching will create a natural cover to limit damage from the sun and wind which can cause significant drying out of your soil. It will also act as an insulator, protecting your floor from both heat and extreme cold!

Placing mulch on your soil will help prevent the formation of a crust of soil. Indeed, without mulching, during heavy rain episodes, your soil will become very compact and form cracks. Your floor will be greatly weakened and will become impermeable. You will then have to be more careful in terms of watering.

Another advantage of mulching in the garden is the decomposition of organic mulch. It promotes the development of underground life by providing nutrients to spiders and earthworms.

💡 Did you know that earthworms are good for your soil? They create numerous galleries which aerate the soil and allow your plants to take root more easily!

3. Better plant growth

Mulch acts as a layer of protection for your soil but also for your plants. Installing mulch will therefore offer better growth to your plants, but how is this possible?

In fact, mulch helps prevent rainwater from evaporating and therefore retains soil moisture. The roots of your plants therefore remain at the right temperature and benefit from optimal humidity. To give you some figures, mulch allows you to maintain almost 90% humidity, unlike 20% for soil without mulch. 💧

There are many advantages of mulching, in particular it will avoid the phenomenon of water stress which causes plants to suffer from lack of water. These ideal conditions allow your plants to not draw on their reserves and to grow stronger and faster.

Moreover, if mulching improves the growth of your plants it is mainly because its organic matter improves the quality of the soil by decomposing. It transforms into a nutrient-rich humus which will enrich your soil and increase its fertility. You then create a natural fertilizer, what more could you ask for?

As you will have understood, placing a layer of organic mulch after your plantings will guarantee them better growth. It will provide them with a stable soil temperature and a high concentration of nutrients.

4. Save time

In addition to being good for your soil and the growth of your plants, one of the advantages of mulching in your garden is saving time! You wonder why ? 🤔

Well, it will initially limit the development of weeds, without eliminating them completely. It is estimated that 80% of weeds in the garden can be avoided using mulch. By creating additional weight on the surface of the soil and blocking light, it will hinder the development of weed plants.

No need to weed by hand or use chemicals. In addition to saving you time, it’s good for your wallet and the planet! If you save time on weeding you will also save time on watering, since the mulch acts as a thermal insulator. It absorbs rainwater and limits evaporation due to heat. It is estimated that moisture from bare soil evaporates 3 times faster than from mulched soil.

This is ideal for reducing the frequency of watering your garden and making it self-sufficient and easy to maintain.

5. The disadvantages of mulching

You may be asking yourself the following questions: what are the disadvantages of mulching? Do they exist?

Indeed, while the advantages of mulching are significant, it also has some disadvantages. Let's say instead that these are small points of attention that you must take into account:

Mulching can retain excess water and suffocate the soil, so we recommend avoiding periods of heavy rainfall.
Mulching is not necessarily good for all crops. Remember to adapt the mulch to your crops; thuja or pine bark, for example, tend to acidify your soil.
Mulching keeps moisture in, but if you lay it down too soon, it can prevent your soil from warming up in the spring.
Mulching is not suitable for certain crops, such as onions, garlic and shallots for example, which require very little water.

You see ? “The Disadvantages of Mulching” are easily avoidable now that you have the information. 😉

Know that mulching is a key step in planting your garden. Draw Me A Garden has also chosen to integrate organic flax mulch into its ready-to-plant garden kit for all these reasons! The team chose organic flax mulch which has the advantage of being rich in organic matter and having a neutral pH. In addition, it will be used in your flower beds as well as in your vegetable garden. 🥕

Don’t hesitate to try different mulches to find the one that suits you. Garden centers offer many organic mulch solutions. You can also create your own mulch with waste from your garden. Grind the branches cut from your hedges. Don't forget the leaves, in the fall, they can serve as organic mulch for your flowerbeds.

So now that you know all the benefits of mulching for the garden, on your marks, set, mulch! Curious to see how our teams prepare your garden kit?

What's inside our Garden Kit?

No comment