The Use of Organic Mulch

Use mulches to moderate soil temperature, control weed growth and conserve moisture in both winter and summer. Organic mulches have another benefit, building the organic content of the soil as they decompose. While all mulches comprised of organic matter

  • Topic: Mulch
  • Author: Mary Ann Walz
  • Keywords: mulch, weed control,
  • Date: February 2006

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Use mulches to moderate soil temperature, control weed growth and conserve moisture in both winter and summer. Organic mulches have another benefit, building the organic content of the soil as they decompose. While all mulches comprised of organic matter will eventually decompose, some will do so quickly and start the soil building process sooner.

Types of Organic Mulches

  • Chopped leaves make great mulch and help build the soil. Run a lawn mower over large dry leaves or place in a bag and stomp on them; pour them out. Over months, they will seemingly disappear but in fact they are decomposing into the soil below and turning into fine rich compost.
  • Coarse compost is organic matter that takes longer to start breaking down. These include pine needles, pecan shells, shredded wood, and bark chips. Aide the decomposition process by adding a small amount nitrogen such as aged manure layered under the mulch.

Organic matter that has undergone some degree of decomposition becomes humus, which is essential for healthy soil. Humus helps retain soil moisture, it aids air penetration into the soil to improve root health and vigor, and it helps hold soil nutrients in the root zone where they are most available to plants.

Healthy soil is the growing medium for healthy plants, so it just makes sense to build your soil with mulch. Hardy garden perennials, non-xeric ornamental grasses, non-xeric groundcovers and non-native flowering shrubs are the plant categories in our High Country Garden catalog that grow best with organic mulches and humus rich garden soils.