It is a tossup as to who will reap the most benefits when you use organic mulches on planting areas - your plants or you. With a two to four inch layer of organic mulch, the soil will not crust; and, as it prevents evaporation of precious moisture, the soil will remain cooler. There will be fewer weeds and more earthworms and beneficial microbic activity. The plants will stay cleaner and be subject to fewer diseases since the soil will not splash on them. As the mulch breaks down, nutrient-rich organic matter will be added to the soil. Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses become invisible under the mulch.
Organic mulches include compost, pine needles, chopped leaves, herbicide-free grass clippings, aged sawdust, shredded bark, weed-free hay and straw, and processing by-products, such as cocoa bean hulls. Spagnam peat moss is recommended as a soil additive, but not as a mulch. It acts as a water barrier, wicks precious moisture from the soil and can blow away.
For best results, apply these magnificent mulches to weed-free areas after the soil has warmed. Leave about a one inch opening around plant stems and crowns.
The time it takes to mulch plantings is outweighed by the time saved on the big "W's" - Watering and Weeding. The few weeds that do germinate are surprisingly easy to pull. Best of all, your garden will look neat and tidy. You will look like a real pro and your plants will say, "Thank you MULCH!"
Patsy Besch, Smith County Master Gardener
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