Mulching is essential for soil health

Andrew Mangwarara

NOW that the rains are falling, seed germination goes into overdrive, particularly the emergence of weed seeds.

This is when we truly appreciate the value of mulching.

Mulching is the practice of covering the soil surface with an organic or inorganic material.

Its primary goals are to suppress weeds, conserve moisture in summer and prevent frostbite in winter.

Mulch is definitely the gardener’s or farmer’s friend. In nature, it is seen as fallen leaves or twigs on the forest floor.

Mulch can be composed of dead leaves, compost, wood chips, cardboard, dried grass, black plastic sheeting, sawdust or animal manure.

Organic mulch is more beneficial as it eventually nourishes the soil and feeds the microorganisms within it.

Mulch also prevents mud from splashing onto plants, which helps prevent bacterial or fungal infections.

Furthermore, it helps regulate soil temperature. This makes the soil conducive for microorganisms.

It also protects bare soil from erosion. The soil’s water-holding capacity is improved and the nutrient status is enhanced as well.

As always, everything must be done with caution. Over-mulching has some disadvantages for the garden.

Too thick a mulch will suffocate the roots and cause aeration problems, potentially leading to root rot.

Some trees do not like mulch to be too close to the stem or trunk, which can cause crown rot.

Some wood-based mulches, such as sawdust or wood chips, deplete nitrogen from the soil as they decompose, so try to add ammonium nitrate to counteract this loss.

Some inorganic materials, including white quarry stone, pebbles or permeable plastic sheeting, look attractive as a mulching medium.

Besides the many advantages of mulch, the ultimate goal is to achieve an aesthetically pleasing green environment.

If you would like to be featured in our green-up campaign, contact us on: [email protected] or [email protected]