3 Reasons Why You Need Mulch In Your Garden

Organic gardeners would know or would have experienced this particular situation. Think of the many times that you have been in your garden, bent over, raking, wishing that you had more time and that you were out of the sun that is currently scorching your back and shoulders. As you look down, you see a familiar enemy looking back at you. It is the same enemy that you saw yesterday and the day before that. Your friendly neighborhood weeds have moved back into your garden and it is time for you to fight back. Sadly, there are many gardeners around the world that work far too hard in order to protect their investment which is their garden. Here are three ways that you can use mulch in your garden as a way to defend yourself against not only weeds, but also the onslaught of natural elements that may harm your organic plants.

The definition of mulch is that it is a conglomeration of organic materials that you have collected over time that have been placed in a pile or spread out over the top of your gardening area in an attempt to control weed growth, maintains soil temperature, reduce evaporation levels that occur during very warm times of the season, and improve the overall appearance of your garden. In short, mulch is simply the organic waste that you throw out every day and that through the natural process of decomposition will inevitably become a composting material that will also and richer soil once it is placed on top or mixed in with the soil it self.

There are many different ways to create mulch. Most of us have long it's that we know or leads that we need to break. All of these things can be mixed with our organic waste material in order to create what is called a mulch pile. As the months pass by, the natural heat generated by the microorganisms within the mulch and also the heat of the day will start the decomposition process and propel it for many months. This will create a substance called humus, which act as the natural building blocks for most organic plants. The decomposition process will also attract other beneficial microorganisms and things such as earthworms to your garden area which can be very beneficial in creating compost rich soil without you having to even raise a finger.

With all of this in mind, here are the three reasons that you need mulch in your garden in order to ensure that your garden is successful each and every year.

First, mulch that is placed on top of the soil will act as a temperature regulator for the soil it self. Think of it as a kind of insulation that protects the soil from the natural rays of the sun. If the sun light cannot hit the top layer of the soil, it cannot heat the soil and cause a temperature change which could adversely affect your crops.

Second, mulch will act as a fertilizer for your soil as it continues to decompose into a kind of compost. As the microorganisms continue to do their job, motivated by the sun and its heat, and their own natural decomposition processes, once water is applied to this top layer, it will percolate down into the soil further enriching the soil that the roots of the plants are drawing their nutrients from. Therefore, the insulator also has become a kind of feeder for your plants and an enricher of your soil.

Third, mulch is also used to improve the appearance of your garden. Taking a moment to think this through, this does not count throwing your raw mulching material such as tomatoes and sawdust onto your garden area. People that would observe you doing this or observe your garden after you have covered it with your waste material would see a physical and non-eye appealing disaster. However, by taking the time to set up a proper mulch pile to create the compost that you will place on the garden itself, this rich dark brown material will not only become a protector and feeder of your garden, but also an enhancement to the aesthetic beauty of the garden that you are growing.

All it takes is a few minutes a day to take your organic waste and place it into a pile or a bin and allow the composting process to begin in order to ensure that you will have enough mulch ready for your garden when spring comes. If you are starting late, then begin amassing a large pile so that when spring does come you'll have more than enough organic mulch to cover your garden and protect it each and every day.