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Mulching has been used in gardening for ages and still has the same value although the methods and materials have changed. Mulch ground cover is used year round to enhance a garden’s appearance, reduce unwanted growth and can even improve the texture and nutritional makeup of the soil when organic materials are employed. The amount of work involved in applying ground cover is minimal when the benefits are weighed.
Before the advent of readily available water through pressurized systems the importance of keeping the moisture provided was even greater than today when the high cost of water is the motivating force behind wanting the plants to get the most value from the water applied. Laying down a barrier between the soil and the drying forces of wind and sun is called mulching. Several inches of a mulch material can effectively keep the soil moist and reduce the number of unwanted sprouts in the garden area. Mulch ground cover can server as a warming blanket to extend the growing season as well. The practice of mulching crops and prized plants of all species has been perfected with some new materials but it is not a new agricultural concept.
Depending on the purpose and composition of the mulch ground cover used there can be additional benefits to mulching. In ornamental gardens mulch is often used to lend a uniform appearance between plantings. Wood chips and colored gravel are often used in these cases. The use of landscape cloth below the loose materials helps to keep down the appearance of weeds. For many years gardeners used sheets of thick black plastic for that purpose but have largely abandoned that practice as the unsightly appearance of ragged pieces of the under layer had a habit of working it’s way to the surface as well as often providing a good environment for grasses to spread before breaking through to the surface. Currently black plastic mulch ground cover is used by home gardeners primarily around heat loving vegetables to aid in warming the soil around the individual plants. Some large commercial nurseries do have machinery that stretches sheets of black plastic over raised planting beds which are pierced and planted with seedlings.
On the individual level popular organic mulch ground cover lists include layers of newspaper, grass cuttings, compost, manure, leaves and pine needles. Several inches of any of these mulch ground cover materials will keep the ground moist for a growing season. Since these materials are all biodegradable the mulch ground cover can be worked into the soil at the beginning of the new growing season to improve the friability and nutritional makeup. Mulch ground cover in the winter helps prevent ground heaving that can kill new plantings.
Using mulch ground cover is a time and money saving technique for a gardener. The plants also enjoy the benefits of a consistently moist, loose soil environment and grow well as a result. The time not spent weeding can be used to enjoy the beauty and bounty of the well cared for garden.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about href="http://www.greenthumbarticles.com/category/Landscape-Gardening-c429-l0.html"> landscape gardening and organic gardening at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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