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What Mulch? And Where?
The first month of the year is almost behind. Is a year that’s already 1/12th over still new? And with Groundhog Dog before (or behind, depending on when you read this) us, let’s talk about what wood the woodchuck would chuck - mulch! Of course, to call it wood would be an oversimplification since you can do mulching with many materials. How many? Well, that’s hard to say, but Divine will talk about a few of them and where you might use them in your El Dorado landscape. Please, let us know if we miss your favorite variety on our Facebook page!
The Basic Divisions of Mulch
There are nearly infinite ways of covering and protecting your crops. They range from a simple covering to fertilizing powerhouses to practical works of art, and each of those can be dyed, mixed, and matched!
Each type serves the function of weed barrier, water retention, and insulation, and some also fertilize and provide beauty. And nearly every one of these garden blankets falls into one of three categories: organic, manufactured, and natural but inorganic.
Organic
Mulches composed of plants and plant parts are all considered to be organic. Most of the most commonly used materials in gardening are organic, like those giant bags of woodchips you buy from the hardware store. Though organic, in this case, is used to describe plant material, it’s not the exact same definition used to describe foods that are free of pesticides or other additives. So if you’re looking for that, which may be a common need in vegetable gardening, you need to go further and avoid any paints, dyes, or pesticides.Manufactured
As the name implies, any mulch created from artificial materials is manufactured. Therefore, it falls under the inorganic category but also has the distinction of not being derived from nature. Some common inorganic varieties include tires, polished glass, marble, plastic, and more.Rocks, Stones, and Shells
There is another type of inorganic variety that is not manmade, and those are materials that don’t break down but are natural. These included rocks and stones and animal-derived sorts. Stone mulches come in wide varieties and colors. Some, like river rock, are unaltered, while others walk the line between natural and manufactured by being died, cut, or polished. For centuries, seaside cultures used seashells to protect their gardens, insulating them and preventing weeds. With the globalization of the world, sea shells and other animal-derived mulches have become less common, though there are times when they might be a good choice for your plants. They can provide nutrients like calcium to your soil, and their white color can be a striking contrast, especially for darker plants or a moon garden!Where Do You Use Each Type?
While preferences come into play, there are some general rules of thumb and standard practices when it’s time to choose which variety to use to protect your garden.Veggie Gardens
Organic varieties are best for veggie vegetable gardens. As we said earlier, in addition to being plant-derived, you’ll want to ensure it doesn’t contain anything you don’t want to ingest later. But you can go a step further with your vegetable gardens!
Some people like to use compost to cover their crops and enrich them. Compost is perfect for anything you plant to eat.