How to mulch

By using organic material, you strengthen your plants. The soil is protected, more fertile, and nourished. There's no waste of chemicals, but you save on costs. And those who grow them work less.

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how to mulch

MULCHING

Cultivating thegarden There is a very simple technique that allows you to save a lot of time and get excellent results: the mulch.

There are practically no contraindications and advantages which can lead to various things: less work, water saving, better plant healthIt is therefore unclear why it is not widespread everywhere and why many still persist in cultivating it by keeping the soil bare, obsessively uprooting spontaneous plants.

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HOW TO MULCH

I ways to do the mulch there are many: from professional cloth al reuse of organic materials waste, for example the strawDifferent mulches have different effects and each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Traditional agriculture too often prefers unhealthy alternatives for weed control: chemical weed control, with extremely toxic products such as glyphosate, or mechanical weed control, using machinery that also has a negative environmental impact because it is powered by petroleum, and does not respect soil microorganisms.

The practice of mulching is instead considered fundamental in practically all ecological cultivation techniques: fromsynergistic vegetable garden atnatural agricultureThe “straw revolution” evoked by the great Masanobu Fukuoka in the title of his most famous book refers precisely to this method of covering the ground.

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BENEFITS OF MULCHING

In nature, there is no such thing as bare soil: we find the ground covered with grass, fallen leaves, pine needles, but never completely bare, except in the desert which, for obvious reasons, should certainly not be taken as a model by those who cultivate.

An organic farming It starts from observing what happens in a natural ecosystem, so the soil must be covered in imitation. This prevents spontaneous, fast-growing plants from competing with cultivated plants, saving the grower the time-consuming weeding work that would otherwise fall to the grower.

But in addition to being a physical barrier that prevents weeds, the mulch layer also acts as protection: in the cold months it shelters the soil from night frosts, by preserving the heat accumulated in the soil, during heavy rains it limits erosion and compaction of the earth caused by the pouring water.

Furthermore, with its shading cover there is less water transpiration, so it can be watered less often.

ORGANIC AND BREATHABLE MULCH

The soil protected by a mulch is theideal habitat for a series of beneficial microorganisms, which act by promoting and implementing the many chemical processes that occur in the rhizosphere, the area dominated by the plant root system. For example, these microorganisms are responsible for the decomposition of organic matter, transforming it into nutrients for crops. Their presence is essential for natural soil fertility.

These organisms also need air circulation and the presence of oxygen, which is why a mulch that allows good aeration of the soil is preferable to an asphyxiating sheet.

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MULCHING WITH STRAW

The following are therefore recommended: straw mulches and cloth of jute, while cornstarch has the disadvantage of being poorly permeable to water and air. Plastic film is by far the worst choice for ecological reasons but also from a cultivation standpoint, being the least breathable.

The fact of using an organic material has the advantage of being simultaneously a method di soil enrichment: as it biodegrades, mulch enriches the soil with nutrients.

Furthermore, since it is biodegradable, there is no need to remove the mulch at the end of cultivation, which means less work for the farmer.

TO KNOW MORE: A book that tells the stories of the benefits of gardening. A pleasant boost to your health and a way to curb arguments.

MULCH FILM

Using mulch sheets, on the other hand, offers the convenience of being able to lay them quickly, even in professional settings with the aid of mechanical means. Possible sheets include reusable solutions, generally made of synthetic materials such as woven polyethylene, and disposable ones, which can be made of plastic, cornstarch, or jute.

If we mulch with recycled organic matter, we can choose from different materials: hay, mown grass, compost, leavesHowever, we must be careful that what we use doesn't alter the soil's condition. For example, sawdust, if not properly mature, tends to leach nitrogen, while pine needles acidify the soil. The disadvantage of mown grass is the possible presence of seeds, which will give rise to weeds. Straw is generally preferable as it offers a good compromise between its various advantages and disadvantages, and it can be produced at home or purchased at a negligible cost.

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