Not everyone knows, but summer residents are familiar with this word, because Mulching is a very effective agricultural technique . Although many people are dismissive of this technique, believing that there is a lot of hassle with mulch, but little benefit. If you understand the functions of mulch, it becomes clear that it is very effective way in maintaining the health of garden and garden crops, and in addition, it greatly facilitates the care of the plant during its ripening process.
So what is mulch?
Mulch - this is a certain material, a layer of which covers the surface of the earth around the stem of a garden crop. The mulching technique has been used in our country since ancient times, when straw was mainly used as mulch, but in modern times this method has become widespread in the West.
In order to evaluate advantages In this method, you need to choose the material that is most accessible to you, because the number of plants in the garden is considerable, and although mulching everything is not very difficult, you still need to approach the choice of mulching material carefully.
What does mulching the soil do?
In addition to ease of use, mulching - this is also very effective method, which allows you to achieve the following results:
1. Mulch, laid in a fairly wide layer, reduces weed growth
several times.
2. Using this method reduces watering volumes
, since moisture and microflora are retained under the mulch.
3. Using mulch allows you to loosen the soil less often, because upper layer soil remains loose
.
4. Mulch protects the soil
, how from sun rays in summer, and from snow and frost in winter, as a result of which the earth remains protected from sudden temperature changes, and the plant from death, which is especially important for perennial plants in the harsh winter.
5. Mulching protects the plant from many infections
. This is due to the fact that pathogens most often live in the soil, and mulch is a barrier that protects the plant from bacteria.
6. Mulch has a beneficial effect on soil quality
, it protects the earth from erosion, washout, freezing and crust formation.
There are two main types of mulch: organic and inorganic.
Organic mulch presented with materials such as straw, hay, shavings, leaves, pine needles, paper, bark , wood chips and sawdust . This mulch will look neat both in vegetable beds and flower beds.
Organic mulch has other benefits; over time, the mulch material rots, introducing nutrients into the soil, improving soil structure and acidity. Organic mulch must be added periodically, the frequency mainly depends on the material, from six months to several years. Unlike organic mulch, inorganic no need to sprinkle. Such mulch includes stone, gravel, sand, rubber, plastic, peat, film . Inorganic mulch mainly has decorative purpose. Materials of different textures, colors and fractions provide huge selection for decoration individual elements flower beds and to give the overall aesthetic appearance of the garden. Inorganic mulch does not attract insects and protects the berries in the garden beds from dirt and rot.
When should you use mulch?
Mulching is best done in the spring, when the snow has thawed and the earth is soaked in spring rains and warmed by the friendly rays of the sun. Spring mulching protects root system from overheating, and the soil from drying out and weathering. But autumn mulching is no less important. In autumn, when the ground is sufficiently well moistened by autumn rains, mulch is laid on the beds to protect the soil from freezing and weathering. Before sprinkling mulch in the fall it is necessary to remove weeds, and you can also add “winter” fertilizer (for example, ash).
How to mulch correctly?
The mulching process is simple and does not require any specific skills. It is necessary to carefully spread the selected material around the plant in a layer of 6 - 10 centimeters. A smaller layer should not be made, it will not give the desired effect, and it can also be scattered by the wind. In various flower beds, rose gardens and decorative flower beds mulch is spread over the entire surface of the soil around the plants. Mulch under trees and bushes poured in a circle at a short distance from the trunk, leaving the trunk itself and the graft open. Vegetable beds In the garden, it is best to cover it with covering material or film, or you can immediately prepare beds with pre-prepared holes for holes.
Mulch is such a versatile and varied material that it can be used in both open ground(flower beds, gardens and beds), and in greenhouses and greenhouses.
The use of mulch is becoming increasingly popular in large farms, which is not surprising, because its use can significantly simplify plant care. Thus, mulching is a very useful technique for any farmer or summer resident, and all the worries associated with finding material and covering the soil with it are generously compensated positive results from mulching .
Applying various techniques agricultural technology, you can achieve better results when cultivating your personal plot with less effort. For example, once using the mulching technique to treat the soil surface, you can for a long time forget about watering, loosening and weeding. Plants will feel comfortable without additional care. And decorative mulch, which is available in a huge assortment, will allow you to decorate the garden, place accents and fill empty spaces in the beds.
Mulching technology
Before covering the ground with a protective layer of covering material, it needs to be prepared.
You need to do the following:
- Remove weeds from the entire area of the treated surface;
- Water the bed so that moisture remains in it, which we will retain;
- Loosen the soil to a depth of at least 5 cm;
- Ventilate, slightly drying the top layer of soil so that when mulching it does not sag or become compacted.
When to mulch?
Covering measures that promote long-term moisture retention around flowers constantly growing in one place must be carried out in the spring, after the soil has thawed and warmed up well. If you do this earlier, when the soil is cold, the layer of mulch will prevent thawing by keeping the cold close to the roots. This can lead to plant death.
In the fall, they also cover the soil. Indeed, under the protective layer, the vital processes of soil organisms will continue much longer than in the environment, which will lead to additional production of organic matter from the covering substrate. In autumn, it is possible to plant various varieties under mulch. cultivated plants, For example, . It winters well under cover of pine sawdust, which, among other things, also protects it from diseases and pests.
Many garden vines also need autumn shelter, otherwise they do not survive the winter, freezing out at the roots. For successful protection from the cold above, climbing roses, actinidia, clematis, they build a dry shelter with their own hands. You can’t just cover them with sawdust - during thaws, water will wet the covering substrate, and if the temperature drops significantly, it will turn into an ice shell under which the plants can die.
To build a reliable shelter, wooden frames or boxes are used, under which whips and vines are placed; they will be in a dry air environment. After protective structures covered with a “blanket” of sawdust. But this is not enough, since wood shavings do not in any way protect plants from falling excess moisture. It is necessary to make another layer on top to prevent it from entering. To do this, use mulching film.
winter shelters for grapes
The quality of covering measures largely depends on the material used. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages that can help or harm specific plants. To make the right choice, you must have information about the properties of protective materials.
Mulching with green plant debris
Green manure
For spring mulching of the soil, there is an original and very economical method that allows you to grow healthy seedlings directly in the ground. Of course, we are not talking about tomatoes and peppers (although southern regions You can also try). First of all, you can plant zucchini, eggplant, and pumpkin this way.
In the spring, as soon as the ground thaws, they dig it up and sow green manure; rye is best suited. When the soil warms up well and constant positive temperatures are established, you can begin planting seeds of cultivated plants. Rye will serve as a natural protection, shading young shoots at the initial stage, creating comfortable conditions for their development. When the cucumbers and zucchini grow, the grains around them are removed and the soil is covered with the resulting straw. She serves good material for mulching, while simultaneously feeding the soil with nitrogenous compounds.
It must be remembered that green manure cannot be used immediately after removal from the soil. They must be dried within 24 hours, otherwise the straw will smell bad and rot, as a result of which pathogenic microflora and fungi may appear on it.
Cut grass
After weeding the garden or mowing the lawn, a lot of grass remains. Throwing it away is irrational, so this type of plant waste has two ways of disposal. The first is to compost them. The second is to organize grass mulching of beds, flower beds and tree trunks fruit trees.
You can also throw mown grass over weeded potatoes instead of hilling them. The tubers will develop well in a loose layer of half-rotted substrate, and in the fall the potatoes can be easily removed by pulling the bushes by the tops.
But melons, cucumbers and cabbage cannot be mulched with grass, as they can become infected with rot or fungus. There is no need to leave fresh grass mulch for the winter, as it can harbor pests. It is best to use plant residues a second time by composting them. As a covering material before winter, well-dried hay is used, which is used to cover tree trunks just before frost.
Video: example of mulching tomatoes with plant residues
Mulching with sawdust
The main function of mulching is the ability to create comfortable conditions for plants. By using organic materials, you can significantly increase soil fertility, reduce the amount of watering and loosening, and get rid of weeds.
Mulching is one of the most common methods of such shelter. They are especially often used for. Under warm blanket from large shavings, strawberries and garden strawberries winter well and do not get sick various types rotten. Pathogenic flora is a negative factor that significantly affects the yield. But when using sawdust, which acts as a sorbent, a significant part of the berries will quietly ripen on the bushes and will not rot, since they do not come into contact with wet soil.
Strawberry mulching technology is simple and effective:
Before adding sawdust, the bed is weeded, loosened and watered. After a light crust has formed on the top layer of soil, the main work begins. To do this, take cardboard (it’s better not to use newspaper, since the printing ink contains lead) and cover the space between the rows with it. Sawdust is poured on top of the cardboard. That's it, the work is finished. By the way, this method protects not only from the appearance of weeds, but also from excessive growth of the strawberries themselves.
Mulching with hay and straw
These natural materials, which are easy to find in any village, summer residents began to use for planting new technology, for the use of which you need to stock up on cardboard (you can ask for boxes at your nearest store), planting material and dry grass.
The process itself can be divided into several stages:
- Covering the ground with cardboard. It can be laid directly on overwintered grass as soon as the snow melts. The point of this action is to prevent light from reaching the weeds, which will die along with the roots within a few weeks.
- Germination and disinfection of potatoes. You can disinfect it using a solution of any ready-made biostimulant, and germinate it in the sun, greening the tuber. These preparatory procedures have a healing effect so that subsequently the potatoes under the mulch do not become ill with late blight.
- The next stage is planting the planting material. To do this, holes are made in cardboard sheets, whose radius should be twice as large as the radius of the tubers. After this, the seed potatoes are placed directly on the ground, with the sprouts facing up so that they point towards the sunlight.
- The final stage of planting is mulching the entire row with straw. For this purpose dry residues cereal crops poured directly on top of the cardboard, in a layer of at least 15-20 cm. Some use hay for cover, but it has a significant drawback - it is a carrier and accumulator of weed seeds.
This method, revolutionary for many gardeners, has many advantages. Firstly, it is minimal in terms of labor costs. Imagine, you don’t have to plow, weed or hill up your plantings. Potatoes grow well under mulch without unnecessary intervention. The exception is drought, when you will have to water your plantings a couple of times. And still, the amount used physical labor incommensurate with traditional way landings.
Harvesting potatoes that have grown under thatch is also a cakewalk compared to traditional digging. This is a fairly clean job, since it is very easy to get to the tubers - you just need to push the straw aside and harvest the crop.
After harvesting, the beds are left without digging. They are already natural compost, which will quietly rot in the time remaining before the onset of winter cold, and in next year these beds can be used for planting without additional processing. Using the straw mulching method, you can achieve a significant improvement in soil fertility on the site in 2-3 years.
Video: comparison of potato yield when mulching different types
Mulching with textiles and film
This type of protective procedures is used in two cases:
- The first is the construction of “dry blankets” for the winter for various ornamental plants and vines, as already described above.
- The second type of use is to protect beds from weeds and moisture evaporation.
A mandatory condition when using rolled covering materials is compliance with all preparatory procedures (weeding, moistening, loosening) before covering the beds with polyethylene. Applying this method in summer time, use only transparent film and agrotextiles. But the black film is used before planting begins. It has too strong a depressing effect on any plant flora, therefore, even with the use of partial perforation, it is not suitable for summer use.
mulching with agrotextiles (left) and film (right)
The film is spread on the beds at the end of March, when it is already warm enough and weeds begin to grow. Within 3-4 weeks, they all die under a black film, and their roots, which die naturally, can be easily removed with a rake.
Agrotextiles are very often used for mulching strawberries. Usually they take non-woven tightly, which allows moisture to pass through. It is spread over all surfaces of the bed, cutting out circles at equal distances for berry bushes. When using this method, strawberries bear fruit well throughout the season and require virtually no additional care.
Mulching with peat
This fertilizer from the swamp is very often used as a mulch layer for the soil when planting various plants. serves as an excellent protection against weathering and leaching of fertile components from the soil, and does not allow pathogenic flora to grow and develop. After the end of the season, this substrate is left on the beds, and it gradually passes into the soil, improving its composition.
decorative use of peat
The homogeneous structure of peat allows it to be used as decorative filling. Peat is also used in the garden for mulching. different cultures that require extra care, such as tomatoes. This substrate is applied to nightshades when they are well rooted, a couple of weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground.
Peat is ideal for mulching. He creates optimal conditions for the growth and development of this moisture-loving shrub. The soil constantly retains moisture and becomes loose, which allows the raspberry root system to develop well.
Mulching with bark and wood chips
This method of garden care is gaining more and more fans every year. Bark mulch is commonly used for paths and large open areas. In our climate zone, pine bark is most widespread. This material for landscape design has a number of useful properties.
decorative mulch from bark and wood chips
Decorative bark mulch stays in one place unchanged for a long time, perfectly protects the soil from weeds, and protects from the sun on hot days. It also does not compact for a long time due to its porous structure and textured surface.
Pine bark
This type of covering material is very popular throughout the country. Benefits pine bark are its lightness, thickness and high content of fungicides, which suppress unfriendly microflora and prevent the appearance of insect pests.
Features of mulching tree trunk circles with bark/chips
Bark has been used for mulching for many centuries. This type of protection has become especially popular for those who constantly need comfortable conditions. The bark retains moisture for the root system and perfectly decorates the tree trunk, which saves time when caring for these capricious flowers. It also serves as a winter shelter from freezing.
wood chips
When purchasing this material, you should pay attention to the number indicated on the packaging. It corresponds to the size of the chips and indicates the dimensional characteristics of the product. Chips can be small (5-8 cm), medium (8-15 cm), and large (more than 15 cm). It is advisable to purchase this covering material from manufacturers who guarantee minimal inclusion of chip dust in the composition. This property helps protect beds from oxidation.
Mulching chips perform the same functions as other materials. It keeps the soil moist and loose, stimulates the development of beneficial microflora, and naturally forms humus. In addition to all the above advantages, this material Perfect for decorating a site.
decorative mulch options - based on wood chips and bark
Decorative mulch can be of any color and size. It is used in young flower beds, or in ridges made in a minimalist style. It is resistant to external influences, so it can be used to cover flower beds and garden paths.
Precautionary measures
The choice of wood chips must be approached more carefully than when purchasing other materials. When buying it, it is advisable to...smell it! If the substrate emits a sour, vinegary smell, then it is better to postpone the purchase. Most likely, wet wood chips were stored without access to oxygen, and they began to produce rotting products that were very harmful to plants.
But, if the acquisition has already been made, the situation can be corrected. The wood chips need to be dried well. As soon as the sour smell disappears, you can use it to mulch the soil.
Unusual types of mulch
Leaves
They are used everywhere, this is the most affordable covering material, which serves to protect plantings with perennial flowers and wintering bulbs.
pine needles
Needles are used to mulch plants that are susceptible to massive pest attacks, such as garlic.
Eggshell
This species is used as an obstacle in the path of slugs, scattering the shells thin layer around the rose bushes.
Using various available materials for mulching beds, you can greatly simplify your life. Protected plant roots fully use all the moisture brought into the ground, which provides them with excellent nutrition. Need for constant watering disappears, just like in constant loosening. Mulching the soil will help put the garden in order, and free up time to finally straighten up and admire the beauty and order created by your own hands.
Video comparison of different mulching materials
Experienced gardeners always have crystalline iron sulfate, or ferrous sulfate, in their garden medicine cabinet. Like many others chemicals, it has properties that protect garden and berry crops from numerous diseases and insect pests. In this article we will talk about the features of use iron sulfate for treating garden plants from diseases and pests and about other options for its use on the site.
There were times when the concepts of “garden tree”, “family tree”, “collection tree”, “multi tree” simply did not exist. And it was possible to see such a miracle only on the farm of the “Michurintsy” - people who were amazed by their neighbors, looking at their gardens. There, on one apple, pear or plum tree, not only varieties of different ripening periods, but also various colors and sizes ripened. Not many people despaired of such experiments, but only those who were not afraid of numerous trials and errors.
The climatic conditions of our country, unfortunately, are not suitable for growing many crops without seedlings. Healthy and strong seedlings are the key to a high-quality harvest, in turn, the quality of seedlings depends on several factors: Even healthy-looking seeds can be infected with pathogens that long time remain on the surface of the seed, and after sowing, getting into favorable conditions, are activated and affect young and immature plants
Our family loves tomatoes very much, so most of the garden beds are devoted to this particular crop. Every year we try to try new ones interesting varieties, and some of them take root and become loved. At the same time, over many years of gardening, we have already developed a set of favorite varieties that are required to be planted every season. We jokingly call such tomatoes varieties “ special purpose» - for fresh salads, juice, pickling and storage.
The snow has not yet completely melted, and the restless owners suburban areas They are already in a hurry to evaluate the scope of work in the garden. And there really is something to do here. And perhaps the most important thing to think about is in early spring– how to protect your garden from diseases and pests. Experienced gardeners they know that these processes cannot be left to chance, and delays and delays in processing can significantly reduce the yield and quality of the fruit.
If you cook yourself soil mixtures for growing indoor plants, then it’s worth taking a closer look at a relatively new, interesting and, in my opinion, necessary component - coconut substrate. Everyone has probably seen at least once in their life a coconut and its “shaggy” shell covered with long fibers. Many delicious products are made from coconuts (actually a drupe), but the shells and fibers used to be just industrial waste.
Fish and cheese pie is a simple lunch or dinner idea for your daily or Sunday menu. The pie is designed for small family of 4-5 people with a moderate appetite. This pastry has everything at once - fish, potatoes, cheese, and a crispy dough crust, in general, almost like a closed pizza calzone, only tastier and simpler. Canned fish can be anything - mackerel, saury, pink salmon or sardines, choose according to your taste. This pie is also prepared with boiled fish.
Fig, fig, fig tree - these are all names of the same plant, which we firmly associate with Mediterranean life. Anyone who has ever tasted fig fruits knows how delicious they are. But, in addition to their delicate sweet taste, they are also very beneficial for health. And this is what interesting detail: it turns out that figs are perfect unpretentious plant. In addition, it can be successfully grown on a plot in middle lane or in the house - in a container.
This delicious creamy seafood soup takes just under an hour to prepare and turns out tender and creamy. Choose seafood according to your taste and budget; it can be a seafood cocktail, king prawns, or squid. I made soup with large shrimp and mussels in their shells. Firstly, it is very tasty, and secondly, it is beautiful. If you are preparing it for a holiday dinner or lunch, then mussels in their shells and large unpeeled shrimp look appetizing and pretty on the plate.
Quite often, difficulties in growing tomato seedlings arise even among experienced summer residents. For some, all the seedlings turn out to be elongated and weak, for others, they suddenly begin to fall and die. The thing is that it is difficult to maintain in an apartment ideal conditions for growing seedlings. Seedlings of any plants need to be provided with plenty of light, sufficient humidity and optimal temperature. What else do you need to know and observe when growing tomato seedlings in an apartment?
Tomato varieties of the “Altai” series are very popular among gardeners due to their sweet, delicate taste, more reminiscent of the taste of a fruit than a vegetable. These are large tomatoes, the weight of each fruit is on average 300 grams. But this is not the limit, there are larger tomatoes. The pulp of these tomatoes is characterized by juiciness and fleshiness with a slight pleasant oiliness. You can grow excellent tomatoes from the “Altai” series from “Agrosuccess” seeds.
Long years aloe remained the most underrated indoor plant. And this is not surprising, because the widespread distribution of aloe vera in the last century led to the fact that everyone forgot about other types of this amazing succulent. Aloe is a plant, primarily an ornamental one. And when making the right choice type and variety can outshine any competitor. In fashionable florariums and in ordinary pots, aloe is a hardy, beautiful and surprisingly durable plant.
Delicious vinaigrette with apple and sauerkraut- vegetarian salad from cooked and chilled, raw, pickled, salted, pickled vegetables and fruits. The name comes from the French vinegar sauce, olive oil and mustard (vinaigrette). Vinaigrette appeared in Russian cuisine not so long ago, around the beginning of the 19th century; perhaps the recipe was borrowed from Austrian or German cuisine, since the ingredients for Austrian herring salad are very similar.
When we dreamily sort through bright packets of seeds in our hands, we are sometimes subconsciously convinced that we have a prototype of a future plant. We mentally allocate a place for it in the flower garden and look forward to the cherished day of the appearance of the first bud. However, buying seeds does not always guarantee that you will eventually get the desired flower. I would like to draw attention to the reasons why seeds may not sprout or die at the very beginning of germination.
In the process of growing garden and garden crops It is extremely important to protect plants from possible natural troubles. In particular, mulch helps with this - a material layer covering the surface of the earth near growing vegetables and melons, berry bushes, fruit trees or flowers. Those wishing to learn more about what mulch is and how to prepare it should read the proposed text.
Soil mulching: what is it?
Figuratively speaking, mulching the soil is the path to a rich harvest. In agricultural technical language, mulching means a simple and effective soil protection technology that promotes successful cultivation plants But first, you should define the concept of “mulch” more precisely: what is it? Mulch is understood as a homogeneous material or a mixture of substances of various origins, which, based on the totality of their qualitative characteristics, are suitable for protecting the soil used for growing crops. Now you can move on to the term “soil mulching” to better understand what it is. Without really knowing what it means to mulch the soil or, more simply, what mulching is, you cannot proceed to practical actions, since there is a danger of causing irreparable harm to already growing or future plants.
What are the benefits of mulching the soil in a summer cottage?
If we neglect the fact that sometimes mulch is used as decorative decoration, then its remaining properties come down mainly to protective functions:
- protection of plant root system by maintaining the required level of moisture in the soil (mulching the soil means retaining moisture in it) and acidity, temperature regime and nutrient medium (including for earthworms that loosen the soil);
- protection of grown plants from hypothermia at low temperatures and from weeds (by preventing their growth).
In addition, the soil covered with mulch does not harden into a crust that is difficult to break through, and the growing berry or vegetable crop is protected from contamination.
Types of soil mulching, what materials to use for the procedure (organic and inorganic)
The classic classification of mulch according to its composition is organic and inorganic. Although compost is also organic, it is sometimes classified as a separate mulch. Being extremely nutritious for vegetation, compost also helps loosen the soil and prevents its surface from turning into crust. A number of experts, not without reason, believe that mulching can also be called sodding the soil.
Did you know? You can even use shells for mulching walnuts and sunflower seed husks.
Organic mulching is almost always considered as the main option, since its result is, in particular, an increase in soil fertility.
Important! Before mulching with sawdust, shavings and bark, the soil must be treated with manure, feces or urea to avoid a lack of nitrogen.
A few words about turf, which in this context means regular grass lawn. Having no less usefulness than specially prepared mulch, lawn plants, while conserving nutrients, at the same time act as a barrier to soil erosion. Using sawdust
Sawdust perfectly protects plants from attacks by slug pests, making it difficult for them to move. Among the undoubted advantages of this material, we note its versatility for use on any soil, excellent aeropermeability, which allows the soil to “breathe” freely, and the density of the coating, as a result of which microorganisms intensively developing in the upper layer of soil gradually transform the sawdust itself into a fertile earth mass. Tomatoes and potatoes, which always suffer from overheating of the soil, cannot do without sawdust in a dry summer.
Important! Damping off of plants during sawdust mulching of the soil is prevented by ensuring that the sawdust does not caking.
Hay and straw
They do not like slugs and straw, which is very good as mulch in garden beds. The original 15cm thick straw mulch then naturally reduces by two thirds. Straw is a beneficial material for mulching garden rows, as well as for covering the soil where trees grow. For those running a fairly large farm, there is no particular problem with where to get straw or hay for mulching. The rest will have to be purchased - fortunately, large agricultural production is able to sell the surplus.
You can use mulching with hay and green mass in the form of mown grass and weeded weeds (preferably freed from seeds). Features of mulching the soil around trees suggest that protective layer will leave the root collar, which requires dryness, open. In general, the surface microflora will not cause damage to tree roots deeply buried in the ground. In this regard, plants covering the ground (mulching with turf), planted in the form of a lawn and able to easily tolerate the natural darkening created by the crowns of trees, will be very appropriate here.
Did you know? By mulching with sod using white clover, you can get rid of weeds and chafer larvae at the same time.
Using peat for mulching
The main function of peat as a mulching layer is to protect the soil from wind erosion, from deterioration of its fertile qualities through the leaching of elements that determine these qualities, and from unfavorable pathogenic flora. Peat mulch does not require artificial harvesting; when it goes into the soil, it improves its composition. It is considered optimal to use peat mulch for good development raspberry bushes, constantly requiring moisture, which peat retains so well. About half a month after the tomato seedlings planted there take root in the open ground, the soil is also mulched with peat. Finally, they use the decorative qualities of a homogeneous peat structure, which makes it possible to create a very attractive backfill.
Mulching technology with green manure and mowed grass
Garden grass, including specially grown green manure, due to its location in the sun heated outdoors quickly gets rid of most of the moisture it contains. This significantly slows down the decomposition process. Under the pressure of autumn rains, it intensifies in an already deserted area. harvested vegetable garden As a result of winter-autumn rotting, the owner of the plot receives new natural organic fertilizer for the beds by spring.
Having figured out how easy it is to prepare mulch from grass in the summer-autumn period, it must be said that the so-called early spring (immediately after the disappearance of the snow cover) green manure with plants capable of very rapid growth. Mulching even before the May planting of cucumbers, zucchini or other warm-loving garden crops in the open ground is done using, for example, mustard (or other green manure), which manages to gain large volume greens, which are mowed and used as mulch (can also be added to compost). Having left the roots in the soil and given the opportunity for soil microorganisms to “work” with them, a couple of weeks after mowing the green manure, you can begin planting the intended crop. Mulching cucumbers, late cabbage and other vegetables with green manure will be successful if:
The soil for planting seeds will be moist and loose, and the seeds themselves will touch most of the surface (you need to roll it a little);
It will be possible to protect the planted seed material from birds (garden scarecrows are still effective);
Mowing will be done before the green manure blooms and hard, poorly decomposing stems are formed;
During the mulching process, the soil with beneficial microflora will not be damaged.
Important! Non-use of green manure from one plant family with the main crop will protect the latter from related diseases.
Features of mulching with film and textiles
Inorganic mulching successfully copes with protective functions, if they are not related to plant nutrition. The inorganics used could be roughly classified as follows:
Black (sometimes color) film and textile materials, as well as paper and cardboard;
Stones (crushed stone, gravel, pebbles, etc.);
Expanded clay.
The last two types have decorative value, since they can perfectly decorate a garden or landscape composition, but are also capable of interfering with periodically necessary earthworks related to soil cultivation for growing garden and vegetable crops. Expanded clay also has a weak structure and is subject to decay into smaller and smaller particles over time.
Black film is often used due to the lack of a mulch preparation process. Its ability to perfectly retain moisture and prevent the development of weeds is attractive. It must be remembered that it is, in fact, a material disposable, becoming unusable under the sun's rays in just a season. When deciding to use film mulching, you need to consider:- the scheme according to which the cultivated vegetation will be watered (drip or through holes in the coating);
Measures to combat slugs that collect under the film;
The ability of plants to withstand overheating inevitably enhanced by film mulch in particularly hot weather.
Important! By covering the film from the sun with a thin layer of straw (or hay), you can extend its use for several seasons.
Covered with stones so as not to distort aesthetic perception, the film is also used to mulch the soil in rock gardens, where it prevents the development of weeds.
Textile materials made from polypropylene fiber are becoming increasingly common among land users who use mulching. Due to its relative cheapness and excellent quality, including such as absorption of sunlight, it has become widely known geotextiles, not giving any chance to the weeds caught under its cover to survive.
Mulching with bark and wood chips
Chips and bark, especially from birch or oak, have certain limitations in their use for mulching related to their chemical composition. Their transfer of tannins into the soil can slow down plant growth. Therefore, other materials are needed in garden beds, but coniferous plantings (spruce, cypress, etc.), which are not afraid of the tannic influence, noticeably increase their development due to the acidification of the soil on which they grow by the bark. For coniferous plants In the interests of improving their nutrition, it is quite possible to mulch the soil with compost annually.
A serious argument in favor of mulching with bark is its combination of good thickness in comparison with almost weightless lightness and a high content of phytoncides that cleanse environment from unwanted microorganisms and insects. Makes bark mulch natural look trunk circle near the tree.
When choosing wood chips you need to take a closer look at the proposed sizes. Like sawdust, wood waste in the form of chips naturally turns into the state of humus, having previously successfully coped with the functions of maintaining the necessary looseness and moisture of the soil and stimulating an increase in the microflora necessary for the plant.
Mulching with leaf humus
Fallen leaves, even without additional processing, can be used to protect the soil. But prerequisite This means that the trees from which it fell have no diseases caused by the fungus, otherwise the entire area may be affected by the spores. To avoid this possibility, they prefer to use foliage as a component of compost, especially since its nutritional value is beyond doubt. An additional safety precaution will be the antifungal treatment of leaves immediately before they are put into compost. Leaf humus, which is slightly acidic and is not a fertilizer, perfectly conditions the soil, helping to improve its structure. In addition to mature leaf humus, both dry and half-rotted leaves are used for mulching.
Using needles for mulching
Flower beds are well protected pine needles. In general, people tend to use pine needles as mulch to protect crops that are occasionally attacked by pests en masse (garlic is a well-known representative of such plants). The freeness and naturalness of pine needles (along with it, cones, twigs, and pieces of bark are added to the mulch), its ability to make the earth saturated with moisture, well breathable, and moderately loose attracts increased attention to it. This attention should be combined with some caution, since such mulch can also lead to agronomic disaster, acidifying the soil in the garden beyond all measure or having a depressing effect on the development of certain crops.
Excellent results are obtained when strawberries are mulched with a covering material such as needles. In this case, they are saved from acidification by annual feeding of the strawberry plot. wood ash. By the way, during fruiting, strawberries are mulched using clean straw so that the berries do not come into contact with the ground. Producers take great care to ensure that there is always something to mulch strawberries, since they are not only tasty, but also increasing their yield leads to a good income.
Features of soil mulching, what you need to know about the agrotechnical procedure
Mulching agricultural technology is based on the requirement that the soil be sufficiently warmed. An artificial blanket over cold soil (organic or inorganic) will lead to a negative result - a delay in the development of plants. This rule does not apply to potatoes, over which mulch (organic only) is applied immediately after planting in the ground. Two seasons are considered optimal for mulching the soil:
1) the main purpose of spring mulching of warmed soil is to protect the plant from overheating and drying out, that is, after the end of the cold season you need to wait a little;
2) in the middle or at the final stage of autumn, mulching of soil that has not had time to overcool is done mainly to avoid damage or death of the plant from winter cold. Creation protective coating should be preceded by cleaning the soil from weeds (perennial and large) and enriching it with ash, bone meal or other slowly decomposing fertilizers.
The mulch layer is not laid down forever - it is replaced as its functions are exhausted, which, in turn, is associated with the characteristics of the materials used. The soil covered with mulch requires more significant watering, aimed at ensuring that the completely wet protective layer appears on the moistened soil. Some of the individualized features of mulching include:
The area of mulch covering the ground under bushes and trees is limited by the diameter of their crown (not counting the gap between the shelter and the trunk);
Garden beds with vegetables and flower beds mulch the entire 10-centimeter (or 3 cm less) layer;
Vegetable seedlings are planted in the soil when it is already covered with film or textiles.
Did you know? The use of mulching is not limited to open space - it is also used in indoors and even for plants grown in pots.
By finding out what mulch is and where to get it, learning in practice how to prepare mulch, carrying out the entire process of preparing mulch with your own hands, spending time on mulching the soil, the land user can significantly save time on watering and weeding. And the result in the form of a good harvest will remind him of the efforts well spent.
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Mulching the soil is one of the special tricks of gardeners and gardeners. If you don’t know these subtleties, you can ruin the harvest and listen with incomprehension to the obscure conversations of experienced people. First, let's understand the terminology. What is mulching and why is it needed?
We'll be happy to share personal experience mulching the soil, where to get mulch and whether it is possible to do without it. This procedure helps to retain moisture in the soil after watering and prevent sudden temperature changes.
It is necessary to mulch the soil when germinating seeds and growing seedlings - in this case, maintaining the stability of soil temperatures and the moisture necessary for germination is especially important.
In spring and hot summer, gardeners are faced with the problem of overheating of the top layer of soil, which is detrimental to crops and even adult plants. Let's figure out what soil mulching is and where to get mulch.
The English word mulch means covering. The top layer of soil is covered with a layer of a different texture, which allows it to retain moisture longer. Mulching the soil simply creates a cover for the top layer, providing protection from unfavorable climates.
A novice gardener has a question - mulch - what is it. The answer is simple - any layer on the soil surface that differs in texture. Below we will look at the main types of mulching.
The easiest way to mulch is to loosen the top layer of soil after watering. The advantages of this method include its simplicity; you don’t need to think about what mulch is and where to get it; the soil itself becomes the covering layer. Loosening the top layer successfully eliminates weeds, loose soil is saturated with additional oxygen.
Loosened soil looks neat and well-groomed. Loosening as mulching is effective if done after each watering. For large garden or gardening, it can be tedious, especially if you don't have the Japanese patience and hard work.
On the other hand, frequent loosening disrupts the structure of the soil; the top layer completely loses its fertility. Nutrients from this layer do not reach the plants. However, loosening can quickly mulch the soil when there is a threat of sudden weather changes.
Mulching with inorganic materials
We've all seen beautiful pebbles laid out in flower pots in shops. It turns out that this is not only decoration. Pebbles and graphy play important role in creating a soil microclimate, preventing drying out and disturbing the soil structure.
A layer of small stones or gravel as a mulching material is best suited for shrubs, grapes, and fruit trees.
Sand, small crushed stone, gravel, pebbles, and expanded clay are used as covering inorganic backfill. Inorganic backfills are very convenient as mulch and give vegetable gardens and front gardens a well-groomed appearance.
In addition, it becomes more convenient to move between the beds; the space between the flowerbeds and beds sprinkled with mulch looks like comfortable paths. When using colored pebbles and gravel, very pleasant garden compositions are obtained. A layer of inorganic mulch provides excellent protection against weeds, which cannot easily penetrate the crushed stone layer.
The disadvantages of inorganic mulch include the inability to dig up or loosen the soil without removing the layer of powder. Soil fertility also decreases sharply, because inorganic mulch does not enrich the soil in any way. Heavier soil also does not benefit garden plants and reduces productivity.
It is best to use inorganic powders in small decorative gardens, when organizing complex flower beds, in garden and park design, in tiny balcony gardens and flower pots, for decorating and saving moisture in flower pots.
Covering beds with agrofibre or film also refers to mulching. For fertile crops this is the most practical way shelter, the film is easy to remove if the need for shelter disappears.
Black film helps attract heat and improve seed germination in early spring, transparencies creates an excellent barrier to moisture. Agrofibre is used for industrial plantings berries, this preserves the soil microclimate and saves delicate plants from weeding. The harvest in covered beds is always better.
Mistakes when mulching with film - choosing the wrong cover or leaving the film for a long time, lack of slots for cultivated plants.
Mulching with organic matter
Natural mulch from organic materials. In addition to excellent covering properties, organic mulching can enrich the soil useful substances, create additional aeration of the beds, increase the overall fertility and looseness of the soil.
It is desirable that the material has a light porous and airy structure.
Organic mulch materials protect the soil better than others from winter freezing and strong evaporation of moisture in summer, overheating of the soil, and the formation of a characteristic crust on the soil surface.
Using mulching, you can regulate, in particular, the acid composition of the soil. The use of mulch from pine needles and spruce branches, which are often used to cover tender plants before wintering, can increase the acidity of the soil. This is good for roses, sorrel, tomatoes, pumpkins.
Using hay as mulch changes the soil composition to alkaline, which is important for sweet peppers, beets, and asparagus.
A mulch layer about 2-5 cm thick protects the seedlings well from weeds. You will have to seriously fight only with perennials that are simply cut off at the root.
In some cases, the weeds are not cut off completely, only preventing the weeds from flowering and inseminating. in hot climates, the lush shade of weeds protects the tender leaves of tomatoes and other nightshades in the open ground from sunburn.
Mulching materials include:
- Straw or lawn mower and shredded grass
- fallen leaves
- Sawdust, small and large, wood chips
- Cake, oilseed waste
- Egg shells
- Compost.
The best mulch is crushed almost into powder or granulated. TO the best options includes sunflower husks and onion husks.
Be careful with mulch that has high biological activity - immature compost, manure, and excess fertilizer in plants used for mulching can poison the soil.
A good mulch should be loose and crumbly. In this case, the mulch is distributed evenly, the earth is covered, but not deprived of access to oxygen. Organic mulch enriches the soil and can be dug into the ground for the next season, providing an additional airy, porous and nutrient layer.
Strawberries and wild strawberries at home all year round
One of the best varieties strawberries "Albion":
- This hybrid variety, which appeared quite recently.
- It produces large, beautiful strawberries with a high content of vitamins and microelements.
- This variety has a very high yield!
Soil composition:
- To protect and accelerate growth, the soil with strawberry and wild strawberry seeds is enriched with molecular level by direct injection.
- Seeds under high pressure processed special composition with microelements
- The composition provides the seeds with all the necessary microelements.
