Mulching is one of the best things you can do for your garden. We often recommend mulching to our clients due to its countless benefits. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of mulching and techniques to do it effectively.
What is Mulch?
Mulch is a layer of materials (usually organic) made from discarded leaves, hay, straw, wood chips, and grass clippings. An affordable type of mulch used on the Gold Coast is Forest Mulch. Forest Mulch is a combination of tree waste from tree pruning and tree removal and other tree maintenance services that are processed through a woodchipper. This type of mulch is fantastic as when it breaks down, it redeposits nutrients back into the soil once stored in the tree. It can also improve your garden’s aesthetics with its contrasting colours, such as dark browns and vibrant reds.
What is the Importance of Mulching Correctly?
Mulching is the process of spreading mulch over the surface of the soil. Whilst it sounds straightforward, incorrect mulching techniques can have little to zero impact on your soil or worse, it can negatively affect vegetation.
Tips on Mulching:
- Use the correct type of mulch. We recommend using Forest Mulch as it breaks down slower than other forms. Its lifespan is longer, so it requires less maintenance and reapplication. Usually, topping up every year is enough, but you may need to apply more after heavy rain or flooding.
- Place the recommended amount of mulch. The depth should be approximately 100 mm thick.
- Leave a space around the base of trees to prevent hidden decay.
Importance of Mulching: The Benefits It Provides
Applying mulch is vital to keeping your soil, plants and trees healthy. Here are some of its benefits:
- Prevents weed growth – Weeds compete with your plants for water, nutrients, and sunlight. As mulch is applied over the soil bed, it blocks out sunlight, which prevents weed germination and growth.
- Regulates soil temperature – By insulating the soil, mulch helps keep roots cool in summer and warm in winter.
- Reduces water evaporation – Mulching keeps moisture in the soil longer, reducing the need to water plants by 70%
- Improves soil structure – As Forest Mulch decomposes, it enriches the soil with nutrients and organic matter, improving soil fertility and drainage, and preventing soil erosion.
- Prevents certain diseases – The right amount of mulch can help prevent diseases by keeping the leaves of your plants dry and preventing fungal spores from splashing up onto them when it rains.
- Encourages good soil organisms to thrive – Worms and good bacteria are necessary to keep soil healthy. Mulch acts as a protective layer on the ground, keeping soil moisture and encouraging good organisms to thrive.
- Controls Soil Erosion – Mulch protects topsoil from being washed away by rain or wind.
Mulching: A Vital Part Of Caring For Your Trees
Mulching is an easy and effective way to improve the health of your soil, plants and trees. By practising correct techniques, You can enjoy the countless benefits that mulch, like Forest Mulch, provides. If you have any questions about what mulch to buy for your property or would like someone to take care of it for you, chat with one of our friendly tree experts today!
