Mulch in my area: 4 types - the pros and cons of using straw, sawdust, buckwheat husks and nonwovens

This article contains recommendations and advice from an experienced summer resident who has tested mulch on a plot of various types. Advantages and disadvantages of mulching methods.

Nonwoven mulch

Lovers of organic farming themselves value and recommend to others the active use of mulch on their site. With this care, they argue, gardening is fun and enjoyable, and not too much of a hassle. Since the mulched soil is always protected from the wind, from the scorching rays. It is breathable and protects plants from weeds. In addition, moisture in the mulch lingers much longer, which allows you to water less often. However, things are not so simple. There are some difficulties in the process of creating a mulch layer.

This article will look at several types of mulch.

Straw mulching

As the basic tenets of natural farming state, the soil should not remain open. Therefore, in order to protect it from unnecessary vegetation, from drying out and compaction, as well as to better nourish the earth, it is necessary to cover with a thick layer of mulch. For example, straw. Straw can be taken both at household enterprises, and contact the owners of private houses. A layer of mulch must be made at least 30 cm.However, there is a possibility that the straw bales will contain weed seeds, which will eventually germinate, and you will have to remove it not with a hoe, but with your hands.

In addition, the following points can be highlighted here:

- it is necessary to organize the transportation of material in order to bring a sufficient amount of straw to your site;

- secondly, it is necessary to use not fresh straw, but rotted straw, at least within a year.

- it should be noted that it is very difficult to gut a bale of straw by hand.

Therefore, it is better to get not rolls, but small packages.

-In order not to deplete the soil with nitrogen, it is necessary to add droppings or manure to the mulch layer;

-Straw is very quickly trampled down, so after a short period of use, its volume is at least halved.

Sawdust mulch

Sawdust mulch is also good, but it should be taken into account that when applying a thick layer of mulch, the soil will be trapped in nitrogen, since the bacteria involved in the decomposition of sawdust consume this nitrogen. To avoid this disadvantage, additional nutrition should be added for the formed bacteria. You can use complex mineral preparations. Saturate sawdust with urea solution. But those who do not recognize any additives other than organic ones can add slurry or chicken droppings.

The acidity of the soil also increases when wood is added to it. This issue can also be solved by adding lime, ash or dolomite flour.

Thus, by combining wood shavings, ash and manure, an excellent, non-damaging layer of mulch can be obtained, at the same time feeding the plants. The material is capable of decomposing within about 3-4 years, forming a good layer of compost.

-Mulching with sawdust better protects plants from weeds;

- this mulch has a beneficial effect on the composition of the soil;

- there is no active life of insect pests;

- this environment is not suitable for the life of insects such as ants and wood lice;

- like any mulch, sawdust protects the ground from overheating;

- and, in the end, this material is economical and readily available.

Buckwheat husk

Buckwheat husks are actively used as mulching. It can be purchased in specialized natural farming stores or purchased directly from the manufacturer. This is a fairly cheap material.

To prevent the freshly poured layer of husk from scattering from the wind, it is better to water this material well with water. If some weeds can pass through the buckwheat husk, then there will be much less of them than on the open land. This layer functions perfectly throughout the season.

The following advantages can be highlighted here:

- efficiency;

- decorative function, as dark buckwheat husk mulch does not differ in color from natural soil;

- lightness and ease of use;

- buckwheat husk mulch perfectly relieves gardeners from the need to loosen the soil;

- the composition of the soil becomes light and air permeable.

Nonwoven mulch

In stores, this material can be seen, like Agril, Spunbond and many others, but here the essence is the same. By color, fabrics are divided into black and white, but it is the dark material that takes advantage.

The shelf life and performance of its main functions will depend on the density of the material. The bed is completely covered with material, after making special holes in the form of a cross. The non-woven material should be very firmly fixed to the surface of the ground. Unlike

from the film, the non-woven material is good for air permeability, and the soil breathes. This fact saves plants from many pests and fungal diseases. It is optimal to use non-woven material in beds with garden strawberries, since the fruits become protected from dirt and moisture, and the material also prevents the germination of daughter bushes.

Improved nonwovens are available for purchase. So, for example, black-and-white material not only helps to protect the soil from germination of weeds, but also does not overheat the soil, as is the case when using only black material. In addition, the increased density of the material allows for longer to perform its functions on the site. - When using non-woven material as mulch, it is possible to quickly prepare the beds in the spring, since the soil under it warms up more quickly;

- Dense non-woven material blocks the growth of unnecessary vegetation and perfectly maintains soil moisture;

- Plants do not come into contact with the ground, therefore they are always protected from dirt and waterlogging.

Summing up, we can say that mulching the soil is rational. You can choose material for mulching based on your capabilities and needs, since each material has advantages and disadvantages. You can also use different mulching material, on different planting zones of the site, as our heroine did.