What is mulch? The word came to us from the English language. At its core, it is a kind of “blanket” of organic or inorganic materials that is thrown over the soil to protect it from the aggressive influence of the external environment. For example, it’s worth looking at the natural soil in forests.

There, the ground is almost completely hidden under a layer of fallen leaves, pine needles and branches. Everything grows and blooms wonderfully there even without cultivation, watering and fertilizers. At one time, this was noticed by farmers and immediately adopted. Today, mulching is an obligatory part of soil care; it is necessary for the garden to produce a decent harvest, and for the garden to delight with lush flowering.

Mulching garden raspberries with straw in early spring.

In order for your garden and vegetable garden to delight you with a rich harvest and beautiful flower beds, you need to learn how to care for the soil correctly. By mulching the soil, you can protect the sprouts from hypothermia, strengthen their root system, fertilize the soil with substances useful for seedlings, and, therefore, improve productivity. Experienced gardeners and gardeners are well aware of the benefits of mulch and they know exactly how to mulch the soil correctly and when is the best time to do it. The tips below will help beginning gardeners.

The question remains controversial when it is better to mulch the soil - in spring or autumn. But in practice it has been proven that in the middle zone of our country it is much more useful to do this in the spring. But when to do this - as soon as the snow melts, or later, when the earth warms up? This matters too.

Experienced gardeners advise doing this regardless of the spring month, during the period when the soil is already sufficiently warmed up, but has not yet begun to dry out from the scorching sun. If you spread the mulch in time, the soil will be properly prepared for the hot summer season. In addition, it will retain the necessary moisture and all the nutrients necessary for plants.

Mulching beds with carrots with sawdust.

It also plays a role what exactly will grow in the area that is planned to be mulched. Cold-resistant crops are processed immediately after the first shoots appear. But heat-loving plants - for example, nightshades - need to be mulched when the earth has already warmed up well. Many people carry out this procedure in the fall, after the harvest is harvested. This protects the soil from washing out and weathering. But spring mulching is still not canceled.

Soil treatment rules

There are various ways to mulch the soil. But there are also stages common to any method.

1. Before mulching the soil, it must be well prepared. It makes no sense to spread mulch over un-weeded weeds and other debris on the ground. It is necessary to remove all excess plants, leaves, roots and properly loosen the soil.
2. After this, fertilizers are applied appropriate to the type of crop. The depth of embedding is from 2 to 5 centimeters. If fertilizers have already been applied in the fall, then this is not necessary.
3. Next, you can distribute the mulch. The layer can vary from 3 to 7 centimeters - depending on what kind of material is used. A layer that is too thin will not protect the soil from drying out; fungi will form under it and other microorganisms will develop. A layer that is too thick often turns sour and prevents the soil from warming up.
4. From time to time the mulch needs to be loosened and lifted - it tends to cake and bunch up. If the layer has become too thin, it is replenished with the same material. It is not recommended to use different types of mulch on the same bed.

Which is better to use?

Typically, a variety of organic materials are used for mulching. Every household will always have some kind of waste, sawdust, compost. But recently, an inorganic material has simplified and accelerated the process - this is a special film for mulching. It comes in different thicknesses for different crops and can be purchased at gardening stores or online.

The most popular, easy to use and effective materials are:

• sawdust from non-coniferous trees;
• green manures (green manures);
• hay and mowed grass;
• garden or vegetable compost;
• film;
• rotted peat or manure.

Mulching strawberry seedlings with a special film.

After the harvest is harvested, the mulch is not removed; the soil is dug up or plowed along with it. Thus he receives additional fertilizers. The exception is film, which, of course, needs to be removed.

Features of mulching indoor plants

House flowers also need mulching. In pots, the soil is washed out and dries out very quickly, so it needs additional protection and nourishment. Mulching of indoor plants can be carried out using small crushed stone, gravel, crushed brick, sand - in this case, the mulch will also serve a decorative function. Can also be used:

• drunk tea or coffee brew;
• needles;
• vermicompost;
• fern roots;
• onion peel.

When choosing material for indoor plants, it is important to remember that rotting mulch affects the acidity level of the soil. This should be taken into account so that the plant does not wither. So, garden compost is suitable for all plants, it is universal. Coffee, tea, pine needles are only suitable for hydrangeas, camellias, azaleas and other acidophiles. Cacti will love eggshell mulch. But you only need to use raw eggs; in the shells of boiled eggs there is almost no calcium useful for plants.

Mulching indoor cactus with pebbles for decorative purposes.

Like garden beds, it is recommended to mulch indoor plants in the spring. This is usually done in April - May, but for some flowers it can be done earlier. It all depends on the type of plant. If necessary, as in a garden or vegetable garden, the mulch needs to be loosened and updated. Then, even in the hottest and hottest summer, the plants will not dry out, the soil will be reliably protected from drying out and well nourished with useful substances.

Mulching the soil was invented by nature itself. A person only spied how a fertile layer is formed under fallen leaves, moisture is retained, and plants survive even the most severe cold without problems. Today there are many mulching technologies using a variety of materials. But the principle remains original, natural - covering the soil with an outer protective layer, which gives the desired effect. To carry out this procedure correctly, you need to learn everything about mulching the soil.

The benefits of this procedure for cultivated plants are undeniable.

So why do you need mulching? To free up time for the gardener to do other work or rest, without damaging the plants, and even with benefit for them.

Materials

All mulching materials, of which there are more than two dozen today, are divided into two large categories: organic and inorganic origin.

The discussion about which type of materials is better is ongoing both among specialists and amateur gardeners. The choice of category depends on the goals that mulching is supposed to achieve and on the place where the material will be used on a particular crop.

When mulching with any materials, you need to follow an important rule - it is carried out only after the soil has warmed up well. If you lay mulch on unheated soil, the effect will be the opposite of what was expected - the plants will develop poorly and their growth will slow down.

Organic materials

This group includes the following:

All organic materials differ from inorganic ones in that they are able to rot in the soil and turn into nutrients that nourish plants, form a humus layer and increase soil fertility.

Organic mulch is considered by many to be the healthiest and the only one suitable for use. But there is one nuance - when some of its varieties rot, nitrogen is drawn out of the ground. It is needed to activate the rotting process of sawdust, bark and shavings. Of course, the plants then experience a lack of nitrogen.

Organic mulch has its drawbacks (as does inorganic mulch). For example, if it takes nitrogen from plants, you have to pre-dild the soil under a layer of mulch with an infusion of manure, droppings or urea to replenish it.

Wood mulch (sawdust)

Sawdust can cake over time and cause damping off of plants.

There are restrictions on the use of bark, wood chips and foliage of non-fruit trees. For example, it is better not to use birch and oak trees at all, or to use them only for conifers. The high content of tannins in them can damage vegetable and garden plants, inhibiting their development.

For decorative conifers, birch and oak mulch can be used. They like it when the soil is acidified, and they are not afraid of tannic components, since the growth of conifers is already slow.

But let's return to the beneficial properties of organic mulch. Large sawdust and wood chips repel slugs. They are not comfortable crawling on them, and if you mulch the beds with these materials, the slugs will leave your garden, despite the presence of tasty plants.

Herbal mulch

Slugs also do not like straw. If you put a layer of fine straw (hay) about 12 cm, after shrinking it will give an ideal covering, about seven centimeters high, that can completely and environmentally protect your plants from all misfortunes.

Plant waste - weeds, grass removed from the lawn, green manure residues are very well suited for mulching not only between rows and near-trunk circles of fruit trees. It is not recommended to lay this type of covering on garden beds. The mulch should decompose over time, but grass clippings and weeds will quickly dry out in the sun and will not have time to decompose. If you wish, you can cover the soil with herbal vegetable mulch in the fall, before the rainy season. Then by spring you will have a good fertile layer.

Pine and spruce needles are the best material for covering flower beds. It looks very decorative and promotes healthy flower growth.

Humus and compost

This species rightfully takes first place in the ranking of organic mulching materials.

Rotten manure has the only drawback, or rather, a feature of use that must be taken into account. It is dark in color, so it attracts heat. If the site is located in a sunny place, and the plants planted on it are not particularly heat-loving, it is better to choose light-colored mulch.

Moss and turf

They are used mainly for the garden, arranging turf in the tree trunks of fruit trees and shrubs. You can cover the ground with ready-made moss taken from the forest, or with pieces of turf, or by planting any ground cover. This mulch will grow into the soil and be durable. In addition to preserving moisture and insulation for the winter, it will protect the garden from erosion and increase the amount of nutrients in the soil.

Leaf mulch

Fallen leaves must be treated with caution It has already been mentioned above that the foliage of oak and birch will not bring much benefit to garden and flower plants. In addition, foliage can become a carrier of fungal diseases, which are transmitted through the soil to cultivated plants, or, caught by the wind, spread fungal spores throughout the area.

If there is a suspicion of fungal diseases, it is better not to use leaves in their pure form for mulching. But it can be treated with special means and placed in compost. And when it turns into a nutritious fertilizer, mulch the garden with compost.

Inorganic mulch

• film;
• nonwoven materials;
• pebbles, crushed stone and gravel;
• coarse sand;
• paper and cardboard waste;
• expanded clay

These materials have no nutrients and do not decompose to form humus. Therefore, their properties are limited to protective and decorative. But since they do not rot, they are durable and do not lose their properties and appearance over time.

Inorganic mulch is mainly used in floriculture and horticulture. Garden beds that require constant cultivation are not covered with crushed stone or gravel, as they interfere with soil cultivation.

Gravel and crushed stone

Bulk inorganic materials are usually used as decorative mulch in flower beds, rose gardens, and alpine hills. They can also be used to fill paths and trunk circles of shrubs and trees. But keep in mind that between the pebbles, no matter how tightly you place them, weeds will still grow. You need to think in advance about how to remove them in the future.

Film and non-woven cover

Black film perfectly retains moisture and also protects crop plants from weeds, as it inhibits their growth.

But watering is difficult. It has to be done manually, falling exactly into the film holes left for plant growth. It is possible to carry out automatic drip irrigation under the film, but it is not easy to control the level of soil moisture.

If the humidity is high, slugs can accumulate under the film or non-woven material, which will damage the young shoots.

Black film has another significant drawback - it increases the heating of the soil. In extreme heat, tree roots in the ground can “burn” or dry out if overheating is combined with high humidity.

The film is used for mulching plantings of potatoes, tomatoes, and garden strawberries. It is advisable to use it in combination with straw, with which the film is covered on top.

Paper waste

They can only be used as an auxiliary material, in a mixture with other types of mulch. One, it draws moisture from the soil, dehydrating and drying it. Paper or cardboard works well under organic mulch. This way you can almost completely prevent the germination of weeds (

A mixture of different mulching materials– can be very effective as a source of plant nutrition. The more diverse the composition of such a mixture, the more fully the composition of microelements and other useful substances is represented in organic residues.

A good effect is achieved if dry plant residues are mixed with green parts of plants. Rotting will not occur in such a mixture, and it will decompose quickly enough. There are no places on my site where exclusively one type of mulch is used: I always use “mixtures”. But they are not specially prepared, they are not mixed - various uncrushed materials are simply layered on top. All of the above assumes that favorable conditions have been created for microbiological activity in the mulch. These conditions are: favorable temperature and optimal humidity.

Task two - mulch to ensure favorable environmental factors

Here we will talk about the classic use of mulch without taking into account the above.

Mulch as protection against weeds

Weeds do not grow under mulch because mulch blocks sunlight. In this regard, the main requirement for mulch is its light resistance and density. The denser the mulch is, the more effectively it protects against weeds. In this regard, the undisputed leader is the foliage of trees and shrubs. When wet and caked, the foliage creates a very dense layer, completely impenetrable to the sun, and accordingly, leaves no chance for annual weeds. To control weeds, 3-4 centimeters of compacted foliage is enough.

The hay lies densely on the soil, but its layer should be somewhat thicker than the leaves. Even more straw is needed. It is not advisable to use needles from coniferous trees. They create a loose layer, and weeds easily grow through such mulch. There is information that to protect against weeds you need a layer of needles of at least 30 cm. In my experience, a ten-centimeter layer of needles did not serve as protection against weeds. Compost and humus offer little protection from weeds, and more often they carry a large number of weeds. Newspaper and cardboard are effective for weed control. They need to be laid so that there are no gaps between the sheets, and pressed so that they do not blow away with the wind. You can press it with straw, hay, or other organic matter.

It is sometimes recommended to carefully weed out the weeds before mulching. I never do that. I simply trample down annual weeds and cover them with mulch. If the weeds are very large, it makes sense to mow the greens and only then cover with mulch. In some cases, powerful perennial weeds are worth weeding. But weeding will not get rid of all weeds; some will sprout again. For example, bindweed and thistle pierce the asphalt; none of the organic mulching materials will contain them. Other perennial weeds should be gotten rid of in advance.

Some gardeners believe that straw is preferable to hay because hay retains weed seeds. From my own experience, I know that straw can contain no less weed seeds than hay. In my practice, I don't look for weed-free mulching material. Unfermented organic matter quite effectively inhibits the germination of weed seeds. If some weed breaks through, it is very easy to remove - the roots under the mulch are superficial and pull out without effort. When mulching paths, on the contrary, I try to use seeded weeds. Weeds sprouted in the aisles at the beginning of summer are a free source of organic matter. You just need to pull them out or mow them down in time. I have already written about this in detail.

Mulch as a thermostat

The soil's ability to absorb and retain sunlight largely depends on its color. By changing the color of the soil surface, we can regulate its thermal properties. Dark mulch on the soil surface quickly absorbs heat, partially warming the soil. Light mulch, on the contrary, increases the ability of the soil surface to reflect the sun's rays, which prevents the soil under the mulch from overheating. This must be taken into account when choosing mulch for each specific case. In addition, you need to consider the thickness and composition of the mulch.

Mulching materials protect the soil and plant roots from sudden changes in temperature: they do not allow it to heat up excessively in the sun or cool down sharply at night, during frosts and cold weather; they keep it a little colder in the hot summers and warmer in the winters. But it is precisely this property of mulch that does not allow the soil to reduce the effect of frost on the above-ground organs of plants. Open soil warms up during the day. At night, heat coming from the ground warms the surface air, reducing the effects of frost. Mulching loose substrate is a poor conductor of heat, therefore it prevents the soil from heating during the day, and at night it insulates the heat accumulated in the ground. Therefore, frost-sensitive plants should not be mulched with a thick layer in early spring and autumn. The thicker the coating layer, the lower its thermal conductivity, the more such areas are exposed to the danger of night frosts. A thick layer of mulch will prevent the soil from warming up quickly in the spring. To warm up the soil as quickly as possible, it is better to expose it. But this leads to rapid loss of moisture. For arid regions, this option is extremely undesirable. Therefore, in the spring it makes sense to use a thin layer of mulch, dark mulching materials, but not remove it completely. This is how the issue of warming up and maintaining moisture is solved at the same time. Warming up of mulched soil can be accelerated in other ways, but this is a topic for another conversation.

In regions with hot summers, protecting the soil from overheating is an urgent problem. This problem is well solved by foliage, hay, straw, and bark. Humus and compost have a loose structure, due to this they protect the soil from overheating, but the effectiveness of these materials is much lower than that of leaves, hay, straw, and bark. Compost and humus are dark in color, which means they heat up quickly. The needles provide little protection from overheating.

Mulch to retain moisture

Mulch helps retain soil moisture at the roots of the plant. For this, the density of the mulch is also important. Here the places are distributed as follows: foliage, bark, hay, straw, compost. In this matter, you need to take into account the fact that when watering mulched beds, more water will be required to wet the mulch layer and moisten the soil underneath it. The thicker the layer of mulch, the longer it retains moisture and the more water is needed when watering. Different mulching materials react differently to watering. For example, sawdust absorbs a lot of water, and until it is saturated, it does not allow water to reach the soil. The bark, on the contrary, almost does not absorb water; all the water goes to the soil. During hot and dry periods, water mulched areas less frequently, but more deeply. If your main goal is to save water, then you should consider an irrigation system under mulch.

Also, make sure the soil is well-moistened before mulching. Light rains will not be able to wet the mulch, and the soil will remain dry, which means the plants will not receive nutrition. In areas where water stagnates for a long time in the spring, there is no need to rush with mulching. Shaded areas are usually less susceptible to drying out, and a thinner mulch cover can be used there.

Apparently, in regions with high rainfall, mulch is not required to retain moisture. In an arid zone, especially in a non-irrigated garden, it is extremely difficult to obtain a high yield without moisture-saving mulch, and this technique becomes decisive for an intensive garden.

By degree of durability (time until complete decomposition)

In some regions, the need to use mulch is due to unfavorable climate factors: too hot or too dry. If you choose mulch based on these criteria, then it is desirable that the mulch lasts longer without losing its properties. Mulch has these qualities and does not decompose for a long time. The leaders here are bark and sawdust, then, as efficiency decreases: foliage, straw, hay, compost.

According to the degree of accessibility and ease of use

Here everyone decides for themselves, based on their own conditions. Some people have the opportunity to make hay, while others have more access to straw or leaves. It is more convenient to use small organic material, for example, it is more convenient to mulch beds with root crops with leaves than with hay or straw. If it is possible to grind organic materials, this makes working with mulch easier. In this matter, it is worth thinking about everything and studying experience. It is quite possible that there will be a way to obtain the required amount of mulch without much time, money and labor. Preparing compost for mulch is not practical. In this case, labor costs increase greatly, and the volume of raw materials decreases several times.

Beneficial or harmful effects on plants (allelopathy, acidity, etc.)

It has long been noted that plants react to their neighbors. Some of them stimulate growth, while others, on the contrary, depress. It is believed that litter, post-harvest plant residues, also have the same properties. For example, there is information that wormwood, wheatgrass, bromegrass, and feather grass do not allow other plants to grow next to them. It is possible that mulch from these plants will also have a negative effect on vegetable crops. Unfortunately, this topic has been little studied. And it remains to be seen how mulch made from this or that material affects specific crops. Using different mulches on my site, I did not notice any inhibition of plants by any type of mulch. But this, of course, does not mean that there is no oppression or stimulation. There is a universal option that will allow you to avoid the strong influence of allelopathic plants: you need to make the mulch varied. The more components, the better. Then the influence of any one component will not play a role.

The elements that make up mulch can affect mulched plants through many factors. For example, this fact is known. In the Main Botanical Garden in Moscow, wind-broken poplars and ash-leaved maples were passed through grinders, and then the heaths were mulched with the resulting mass. As a result, many valuable species of heather crops “fell out.” For complete prosperity, they really need a layer of mulch, but only from coniferous pine litter, in which mycorrhizal crops live and reproduce well, with which heather crops (like some coniferous crops) coexist in close symbiosis. Apparently, the wood and bark of poplars and maples contained substances that were poisonous to heathers (or fungi that were friendly to them).

For different crops, you need to take into account the mulching time and the thickness of the mulch. For example, carrot seedlings can easily overcome a centimeter layer of compost. But the same layer of straw, hay, and leaves will be an insurmountable barrier for tender shoots - you won’t get any shoots. But the seeds of mustard, radish, daikon pass through a centimeter layer of hay and straw. Garlic shoots can easily penetrate any organic mulch, but onion shoots are much weaker. The seedlings of beans and potatoes have great strength. You need to observe everything and use mulch based on these observations. So, it is better to mulch carrots after germination, and garlic and beans - immediately after planting. As a winter mulch under perennials, organic matter should be placed after the ground freezes.

The fraction of the mulching material also plays a role. Crops that develop slowly during the initial period of growth are best mulched with fine or crushed organic matter. Plant preferences for soil acidity must also be taken into account. For example, there are known facts when coniferous plants died after using chips of deciduous trees as mulch under them.

According to the degree of aesthetics

Here everyone has their own. For some, straw in the garden is not acceptable, while others can easily tolerate any organic matter. I think shredded organic materials always look better in the garden than whole organic materials. For example, bark mulch looks beautiful.

From all that has been said above, it is clear that no one type of mulch is ideal for performing both tasks. The material that is best suited for solving the first task - providing food - is poorly suited for the second. And without solving the second problem there will be no solution to the first. For example, compost mulch will dry out quickly without watering. No water - no solutions - no food. You can, of course, make a layer of such mulch thick, then in the lower part of this layer we will get the necessary conditions. But thickening the layer will significantly increase labor costs.

The conclusion naturally suggests itself that the ideal mulch should be layered: on the bottom is mulch that best solves the first problem (compost, hay), on top is mulch that is more suitable for solving the second problem (leaf, straw). In nature, this is how it works: fresh litter remains on top and solves the second problem, below are layers of organic matter in varying degrees of decomposition, they solve the first problem, providing nutrition.

Oleg Telepov, member of the Omsk Potato Growers Club
Photo by the author

All owners of personal plots know how difficult and sometimes it seems endless, weed control. These, as one children’s cartoon said, “uncultivated” plants greatly interfere with the cultivation of bushes, flowers, and vegetable crops. But are all weeds always so useless and even harmful? What if we take a closer look at their amazing properties. Maybe there are options for using them more effectively and usefully?

Currently, the question of the benefits and harms of weeds has been significantly revised.

And now many people know that weeds can make a significant contribution as sources of useful and medicinal substances used in medicine, cosmetology and cooking.

Beneficial weeds and their properties

In fact, many plants that are found in almost every garden and are considered weeds have amazing beneficial properties. Here are some of them:

• Nettle

It serves as an indicator of black, humus-rich soils, because it grows on them.

Stinging nettle has an amazing effect on other plants growing nearby: it increases their resistance, changes the chemical processes in them, and stimulates the formation of humus. If nettles appear on your site, this indicates the presence of cultivated and organically rich soil. Also, in herbs growing in rows with nettles, the content of essential oil increases. It repels the potato bug, which promotes healthier growth of this plant. Nettle also has a beneficial effect on people. Preparations based on this plant increase lactation, improve the performance of the heart, stomach, liver, kidneys, and reduce the amount of sugar in the blood.

• Yarrow

In general, this plant creates a very favorable atmosphere for the growth of cultivated plants. It helps get rid of insect pests and some diseases. Its leaves contain phytoncides that fight pathogenic bacteria.

Yarrow can be used to improve the health of plants by preparing a decoction from it. To do this, you need to scald 800 g of grass with 2 liters of boiling water and leave the mixture for an hour.

Then add another 8 liters of water and spray the necessary plants with the infusion. Yarrow leaves are used in the preparation of salads and as a seasoning for main courses.

• pharmaceutical camomile

It usually grows on compacted soils and promotes their structuring, protects them from harmful influences, heals the soil, slightly stimulates the growth of grain crops, improves the taste properties of onions and cabbage, and also promotes their intensive development. Medicinal chamomile has many medicinal properties and is used in many preparations. An infusion of this herb has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bactericidal effects and has a beneficial effect on increasing human immunity.

• Comfrey (borage, larkspur, fatty root)

Fertilizer made from this weed works well on crops that need a lot of potassium and a small amount of nitrogen. These include beans, tomatoes and cucumbers. The leaves and stems of this plant improve cardiac activity in people, soothe, relieve pain, and have a diuretic effect. Borage can be used wonderfully in salads, especially well combined with pieces of boiled meat, green peas, herbs and sour cream as a dressing.

• Dandelion

This plant is not only a material for making wreaths and making wishes, but a ubiquitous weed that can be put to good use. This plant produces ethylene gas, which accelerates the ripening of fruits in apple trees and vegetable crops. Beneficial for people from top to root. The pollen of the plant contains large amounts of manganese, boron and other trace elements. Therefore, jam is often prepared from the flower buds of the plant. Young leaves containing vitamin C can be added to salads, green and salty soups, vinaigrettes, and even minced meat.

A coffee substitute is prepared from dried dandelion roots after grinding.

• Wormwood

It has a very depressing effect on neighboring plants, but a decoction from it is an excellent remedy for fighting caterpillars.

• Thistle and thistle

A real disaster for many gardeners and gardeners. It spreads very easily throughout the area, and it is very difficult to get rid of this creeping weed with a very strong and branched root system. But Mother Nature did not ignore it either, endowing it with unique properties. So, rhizomes and foliage can be used in wheatgrass. They are dried and used in baking flour products and cooking jelly. When fresh, it can be used to prepare side dishes, salads and soups.

And wheatgrass helps get rid of coughs, bladder diseases, bleeding, and helps improve metabolism.

• Plantain

The leaves of this plant have a lot of useful substances: vitamin K, citric acid, carotene. When fresh, this plant has a laxative effect and acts on humans as an analgesic, wound-healing and bactericidal agent. And who in childhood, having broken their knee, did not apply this miracle leaf to the wound? Plantain can also be used in side dishes, salads, meat and fish dishes; it can be added to potato cutlets, minced meat, soups and cabbage soup. Plantain juice can be used in making cold drinks.

Above, only a small part of the beneficial properties of weeds that are most often found in our areas were discussed. As you can see, even these plants can be used to benefit the cause.

In addition to preparing decoctions, food, and medicines from beneficial weeds, they can also be used to help the plants grown on your site. It would also be a good idea to read about weeds.

Weed mulch

For many years, experienced gardeners and gardeners have been using a method such as mulching to increase the productivity of their plots. However, many people forget that easily accessible material can be used to prepare mulch: chamomile, quinoa, shepherd's purse and other weeds. Often these plants are simply thrown away, and in vain, since they can bring considerable benefits.

To mulch trees and bushes with weeds, you need to spread them in a layer of 10 - 15 cm below them, and this will have an amazing effect. Some people worry whether the dug up herbs will be able to re-establish themselves in the ground? Not if you first brush off the soil from the pulled weeds. This simple procedure will prevent all weeds from taking root, except for wheatgrass. It is better to collect this same weed, without shaking off the soil, in a small heap about a meter in height. In just six months, the plant will turn into beautiful, free-flowing humus with a lot of useful properties.

You can absolutely safely mulch the soil with mowed grass, dandelion or milkweed. Do you know, ?

The results of using weed mulching exceed all expectations.

For example, if an apple tree is mulched only with this material, then it receives twice as much phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen as without this procedure. A year or two after mulching with weeds, a larger number of earthworms are noted in the soil. After rain or watering, a hard crust does not form, which harms the plants. This procedure is also effective against the formation of sandy soils.

Weed that is good for health and beauty (video)

Weed compost

Weed compost is also an ideal option for harnessing the beneficial properties of weeds. Instead of throwing away weeds, you can use them to prepare a mixture that will help increase the yield on your site.

How to do it? Everything is very simple!

• Place all the mown grass, as well as weeds collected from the area, in the place for preparing compost and lightly crush it.
• Then nature takes over: the sun, water and air. Under their influence, the top layer of the formed green mass withers and dries out. When this happens, it is necessary to add another layer of fresh mass, under which a greenhouse effect is immediately created, and microelements do their work, turning dry grass into beautiful humus.
• An increase in temperature in the lower layers causes the upper layer to also dry out, even if the weather is cool.
• As a result of all these processes, in a year or two you will receive excellent material - organic, which can be used to fertilize your site.

Reviews and comments

Elena 11/30/2014

I completely agree with the author of the article. On the one hand, you want to put your dacha or garden in order, but on the other hand, valuable medicinal plants are usually found among the weeds. For example, recently a child needed celandine. Where can I get it? They sell it in the pharmacy, but it is of dubious quality and not enough. We went to the dacha and picked a whole bag of it there. And you can make a very tasty soup from nettles. Maria 06/09/2015

Celandine helped me destroy a cavity that had formed in my nose, very similar to papilloma. I just picked the inflorescences of celandine and destroyed it with its juice within 5-10 minutes. I repeated it several times and that’s it, I’m glad that everything is fine with me.

Irina 12/02/2015

We also put the weeds weeded into the compost pit. And in my lawn grass there is a plantain growing. I pick it and dry it, add it to tea in winter - plantain is useful for stomach diseases with high acidity. Chickens love knotweed.

Oksana Vladimirovna 07.02.2016

I didn’t know about wheatgrass that it can be used as food. And so everything goes into my business: coltsfoot, nettle, burdock (I am especially sensitive to it). I add quinoa to salads. The rest basically goes into the compost bin.

Alena 08/16/2017

Plantain helps with bleeding gums. You need to wash it and chew it as much as you like, but at least three times a day. Better after or long before meals. Do not swallow the chewed plantain, but spit it out.

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Mulching with grass is an agrotechnical measure with the help of which more favorable conditions are created for plants and soil.

However, its effectiveness depends on many factors.

After all, improper preparation of collected vegetation, carried out without taking into account its species and the general situation on the site, can not only block the entire beneficial effect, but also cause significant harm.

Therefore, it is very important to understand not only the general principles of mulching, but also the processes that occur in the soil and the mulching layer.

From this article you will learn:

• how and from what to make such mulch with your own hands;
• how and with what to chop/chop grass;
• Is it possible to mulch with grass, including lawn grass, cucumbers, cabbage, peppers, potatoes, put fresh grass under tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, roses and other crops in greenhouses and open ground;
• about the benefits of mulch from mowed grass for plants, and under what conditions it can cause harm;
• how to mulch beds correctly;
• about hot grass for mulching - what it is, pros and cons, how to use it.

To answer this question, it is necessary to understand how grass that is mowed or separated from its roots in any other way affects the soil and plants.

Once on the surface of the soil, such vegetation reduces moisture loss caused by evaporation, and also makes the life of snails and slugs very difficult, that is, it performs the same functions as mulch made from any other materials.

In addition, it protects plant roots from summer heat and winter frost, although it is less effective than shavings.

That is, any healthy vegetation separated from the roots is suitable for use as mulch, however, in some cases, preliminary preparation of the material will be required.

Weeds

Despite the fact that weeds are also grass, the situation with them is somewhat different, because they are for mulching suitable only until mature seeds appear. If they have already produced seeds, then trying to use them for this agricultural activity will only lead to their rapid spread throughout the site.

However, even they can be used as mulch if they are first subjected to liquid composting, which we talked about.

The advantage of liquid composting is that the aqueous medium dramatically increases activity, so they break down organic matter faster and more efficiently.

This means that after 3–6 weeks most of the seeds will lose their viability and will not pose a threat to cultivated plants. In addition, a by-product of such preparation is a liquid fertilizer, which can be used as a good complex fertilizer.

Depending on the degree of decay, it can either fill the soil with humic substances (humates), accelerating the development of plants, or accelerate the process of soil regeneration, attracting worms that will process all organic remains and loosen the soil.

The disadvantage of such preparation is the deterioration of the protective properties of mulch in relation to summer heat and winter frosts, however This problem can be compensated for by increasing the thickness of the mulch layer.

In addition, the more rotted the starting material is during liquid composting, the less effective it is at attracting worms, since most organic matter has already been fermented and processed into intermediate or final products.

Therefore, such mulch has less effect on the process of soil regeneration, but quickly turns into humic substances, which are natural nutrition for plant roots.

Plants with diseases

A plant affected by some kind of disease is a source of infection even after it is separated from the root as a result of uprooting or weeding.

Moreover, even rotting under natural conditions does not always destroy pathogens.

That's why first you need to determine the type of disease, and then compare it with the cultivated plants located on the site.

If this type of disease does not pose a threat to plants on the site, then such grass can be used for mulching. If cultivated plants are susceptible to this disease, then such grass cannot be mulched even after it has completely rotted, including using liquid methods.

Plants affected by pests

Garden and vegetable pests often leave eggs or larvae on the grass, and when this happens, the vegetation over a fairly large area is affected.

Such grass cannot be used for mulching even after rotting in a barrel, because the larvae and eggs of many pests are very tenacious, so they remain viable even after exposure to bacterial enzymes.

If such grass is used for mulching, then the grown pests will move on to the cultivated vegetation and greatly harm it.

Preliminary preparation of collected green mass

For mulching, grass is used in the following states of aggregation:

• fresh;
• dry;
• partially rotten.

Fresh

If you plan to use freshly cut grass as mulch, then no preparation is required - it is immediately laid out around the site.

This material contains the maximum amount of nitrogen, so its consumption by humus-forming bacteria compensates for the excess of this material and after mulching the soil does not lose nitrogen.

The disadvantage of this method is the strong toxic effect on cultivated plants, which is stronger the less compatible the plants are.

Therefore, for fresh mulching Green manure is best suited, which, after ripening, are cut or trampled so that they die and begin to rot.

Partially rotten

To obtain partially rotted material, the collected vegetation is placed in a composter or barrel for the time necessary for the rotting to reach the required level.

By waiting for one or another stage of decay, both the mechanical properties of the mulch and its attractiveness to worms are regulated, this makes it possible to obtain mulch that is better suited to a specific situation than other materials.

The advantage of partially rotted mulch is its high content of transition substances, due to which bacteria produce humates much faster than in fresh grass, and there are still quite a lot of substances attracting worms in such material.

Dry

To dry, the vegetation is collected in stacks and left in a well-ventilated and lit area, then, when the humidity drops to the required level, it is used for mulching.

If it needs to be stored until spring, then the dry green mass is placed in a closed, well-ventilated and insulated room. This material contains less nitrogen, so in spring and autumn the area mulched with it must be fertilized with nitrogen-containing preparations.

In addition, dried vegetation much less toxic than fresh, so for mulching you can even use grass that is usually incompatible with the cultivated plants located on the site.

The main advantage of dried grass is that it can be mulched even in early spring, when fresh grass is not yet available. The main thing is not to lay it close to cultivated plants.

At the same time, dry mulch retains the attractiveness characteristic of fresh vegetation for worms, due to which its introduction into the area leads to an increase in their number, which means increases the efficiency of regeneration processes soil.

It is also more effective than fresh grass if it is necessary to protect plant roots from heat or frost. The only downside is that violation of drying and storage conditions can lead to mold or rotting, which will negatively affect the effectiveness of the mulch.

How to cook it yourself?

In order to prepare the collected vegetation for use as mulch, it is necessary to chop it using any of the devices that we talked about in.

This operation is not needed only when the average length of the cut fragments does not exceed 10 cm, that is, the grass was collected from a lawn that is regularly mowed. If the material is obtained as a result of weeding or pulling out weeds, then grinding is always necessary.

Then collected vegetation is dried or composted to bring it to the required state. The choice of the required state and the method of bringing the plant mass to it depends on the purposes of mulching.

Fresh and dry material is used if mulching is carried out for:

• reducing water loss due to evaporation;
• weed and pest control;
• protection from heat and cold.

If the mulch should quickly affect the structure of the soil, as well as fill it with nutrients, or if you need to lay it close to the plants, it is better to use partly rotted in a barrel vegetation.

If, in addition to all these effects, mulch must compensate for the microelements spent on plant development, then it is better to take grass composted with the addition of manure and other components. Read more about this type of grass preparation.

What can you mulch with?

All vegetation suitable for mulching can be divided into:

• lawn;
• meadow (forbs);
• weeds.

Lawn grass has a beautiful appearance and poor vitality, so without lawn care it will quickly give way to more tenacious forbs or weeds.

In addition, seeds of lawn vegetation germinate well only in specially prepared conditions, therefore probability of spread of this species vegetation through mulching equal to zero.

Forbs, that is, any types of grass that grow in meadows or fields, and also often appear in the garden or vegetable garden, are much more viable than lawn grass or even most cultivated plants.

Therefore, vegetation mowed after the seeds appear, even if they are not yet ripe, can be used for mulching only after partial or complete rotting in a barrel.

Weeds are the most viable plants that take over living space from any other plants and easily choke out lawn grass and cultivated plantings.

That's why after the appearance of even immature seeds, weeds should not be used for mulching, unless after complete rotting in a barrel or composter.

But even after such treatment, there remains a fairly high probability of their spreading throughout the garden.

In addition, weeds that have been torn out of the ground along with their roots cannot be used for mulching, because even after rotting they remain viable and, once in fertile soil, they will immediately begin to take over the territory, suppressing other plants and depriving them of nutrition.

Lawn

Lawn grass does not contain weed seeds, so mulch made from it is safe for any plants. In addition, after mowing the lawn, the roots of the grass remain in the ground, so even theoretically it will not be able to begin to take over the living space of other plants.

This is especially important in cases where the lawns, for some reason, were planted not with special plants, but with forbs, trying to create a more natural appearance of the area.

In addition, lawns are mowed regularly, otherwise their appearance becomes noticeably worse, so the length of the mowed vegetation is optimal and can be used for mulching even without prior chopping.

Therefore, freshly cut grass from a lawn mower can be used to mulch any garden and vegetable crops, but its use most effective where plants are planted to improve the appearance of the area, and not for the sake of growing fruits.

It is not suitable for mulching any fruit plants (such as tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and others), but if, apart from the grass from the lawn mower, there is nothing to mulch them with, then after laying the mulch layer it is necessary to water it with preparations containing microelements.

Forbs

Forbs differ from lawn grass in the variety of species, so the mulch made from it contains much more microelements, which means it is better suited for fruiting plant species.

N most effective forbs mowed during the period of active flowering, because it is then that plants extract a maximum of microelements from the soil, which then return to the ground with fallen petals.

If this material is obtained not as a result of mowing, but after processing the area with a walk-behind tractor, then it can be used for mulching only those areas where it is planned to plant forbs.

The use of such mulch in areas planted with cultivated plants can lead to the fact that the surviving roots will reach the ground and the area will quickly be taken over by forbs, which are noticeably more vital.

Weeds

Weeds that are freshly cut, pulled out, or left after weeding cannot be used at all for mulching without drying or rotting, because several days after separation from the root and several years after separation of the root from the ground, weeds can still take new roots.

Therefore, weeds that are mowed or cut down as a result of weeding can be used only after rotting, and the vegetation that has been pulled out by the roots cannot be used even after rotting.

After all, even a small part of the root that survived during decay, once in the ground, will quickly give new roots, after which the weed will begin to take over the area, drowning out the cultivated plants and depriving them of nutrition.

In the open ground

The soil is mulched for the first time after the height of the young plants exceeds 5 cm. At this age, the plants do not yet have a strong trunk, which means that care must be taken when laying mulch around them.

Therefore, all the mulching material is first laid out around the trunk, then the space between the plants is filled. Layer thickness 1–3 cm. In addition, there should be at least 2 cm of space between the lower leaves and the mulch, otherwise the leaves may get sick from contact with rotting grass.

For the first mulching, it is necessary to use partially rotted lawn grass or forbs that have lain in a composter or compost heap for at least a year.

Moreover the greatest effect will be achieved by using compost, which includes or other components.

If you use fresh vegetation, then there is a high probability of burns on cultivated species caused by enzymes released by bacteria.

The next mulching is carried out at intervals of 3–6 weeks, and the more often this activity is performed, the thinner the new mulching layer should be.

After laying each new layer cultivated rocks are watered with a solution that includes ash and any nitrogen fertilizers, including feeding from manure or droppings, which we talked about. Nitrogen fertilizer compensates for nitrogen, which is actively consumed by bacteria, and ash neutralizes soil acidification.

If the planted plants need to be hilled up, then mulch is applied on the same day or a few days earlier, thanks to this the soil will cover part of the grass and speed up its rotting, which means that the plants will quickly receive additional nutrition.

This use of grass does not reduce the effectiveness of mulching, because one of the main objectives of this action is to reduce moisture loss due to evaporation from the soil surface.

If after hilling it is necessary to protect the plant from slugs, then The mulching material is divided into 2 parts, one is laid before hilling, and the other after.

In the greenhouse

The general principles for using mulch from cut grass for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other crops in a greenhouse are the same as in open ground.

In this regard, the differences relate only to the method of preparation and the condition of the material.

When any fresh grass, including that from a lawn mower, rots, the bacteria release a lot of carbon dioxide, so the amount of carbon dioxide in the greenhouse or is constantly growing, which can pose a threat to anyone who will be working inside for a long time.

To reduce carbon dioxide emissions, it is necessary to use partially or completely rotted vegetation, which was kept in a compost pit or composter for at least a year.

However, before using even such mulch, it is necessary to check the operation of ventilation, without which the proportion of carbon dioxide will constantly increase.

in autumn

The main purpose of autumn mulching is to restore soil structure and replenishment of nutrients spent on plant development and microelements.

Since worms are the most important participants in the process of soil restoration, autumn mulching should attract them to the site as much as possible and provide them with sufficient food.

Any fresh or dry vegetation is suitable for this, with the exception of weeds that have retained at least a small piece of root. The prepared material is scattered over the area in a layer 2–5 cm thick, then the area is plowed and disked.

No plowing or disking such mulching will not be effective enough, and some of the thickest stems will not rot until spring. Small areas, instead of plowing and disking, are first treated with a walk-behind tractor and then leveled with a rake.

Another way to accelerate decay is to treat the mulch with bacterial preparations, which can be purchased at most stores selling goods for gardeners and gardeners.

These drugs will not affect the attractiveness of worms and will speed up decay., due to which by sowing the mulch will completely turn into humus and significantly improve the structure of the soil, as well as fill it with nutrients and microelements.

You can also reduce the labor intensity of the process by mulching with partially rotted compost, which has lain in a composter or heap for at least six months.

Moreover compost should contain, including fruit or vegetable trimmings that contain enough complex organic matter to effectively attract worms even after sitting in the composter for so long.

The nuances of using mulch for different crops

Despite the fact that the general principles of preparing and using grass as mulch are the same, there are nuances that will help you do this more efficiently, which will have a beneficial effect on the yield and quality of the fruit.

However, it is necessary to understand that the maximum effectiveness of this measure will be achieved only when mulching is part of the soil fertilization and regeneration system.

Moreover, all actions of this system must necessarily complement and not duplicate each other.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are very heat-loving plants, so the first mulch layer on open ground need to be laid after the ground has warmed up well, that is, when the daytime temperature exceeds +20 degrees and lasts for at least a week.

If tomatoes are planted in a greenhouse, then mulching the soil can be done after the length of the tomato stem exceeds 5 cm.

Before fruit ovaries appear, compost that has been stored for at least a year should be used as mulch.

Wherein it must contain green manure tomatoes, that is:

• rye;
• lupine;
• oats;
• rape;
• white mustard;
• alfalfa;
• clover.

After the fruit buds appear, you can use dried lawn grass or dried forbs, that is, one that has lain in the sun for 1–2 weeks after mowing (however, it is better to use partially rotted compost), as well as completely rotted weeds without seeds.

After harvesting, the tomato stems are trampled, then green manure is planted. If it is not possible to plant green manure, then the entire area is covered with a layer of freshly cut green mulch, including any grass and weeds without seeds.

Then the area is sprinkled with a small amount of manure and lime, as well as potassium-phosphorus fertilizers and watered.

cucumbers

The first mulching should be done after the cucumbers have real leaves and grow a little.

Moreover, only compost that has spent at least 2/3 of the time required for complete rotting in a composter or pit can be used as a mulching material.

The next layer is laid after the fruit ovaries appear, and the third layer after the fruits acquire a clear shape. It is best to use partially rotted compost., however, you can get by with slightly dried lawn grass or forbs, sprinkling them with ash on top and watering them with properly diluted liquid fertilizer.

After harvesting, the stems and leaves of the cucumbers are trampled down, then green manure is planted (the same as for tomatoes), and after the green manure has ripened, they are also trampled down and mulched with any vegetation, except weeds with seeds, or partially rotted compost.

To speed up decay, the mulch layer is sprinkled with ash and watered with an aqueous solution of bacterial preparations.

Strawberry

Strawberries are a perennial plant, so completely different technology and materials are used to mulch them. The best mulching material for strawberries is considered partially rotted compost containing green manure from this plant, that is:

• legumes;
• rape;
• dill;
• fennel;
• marigold;
• rye.

Sequencing

Immediately after the snow melts around each plant, the winter mulch is raked to the sides, clearing a circle with a radius of 7–10 cm, this is necessary so that the soil warms up faster.

At the same time serve every strawberry bush, that is, they remove diseased and excess tendrils, but if there is a suspicion that the roots of the plant did not survive the winter, then they remove it entirely, and in its place they plant and pinch one of the tendrils of the nearest bush.

After the flower ovaries appear, the old mulch is returned to its place, then the soil is carefully loosened to a depth of 1–2 cm, without getting close to the roots of the bushes. Then the first mulching is carried out, and the layer thickness should not exceed 1 cm.

After the first berries have formed, another mulch layer of the same thickness is laid. The third mulch layer is laid while the berries are ripening., which will greatly reduce their watering, which means the berries will be sweeter and can be stored noticeably longer.

After harvesting, regular maintenance is carried out, that is, diseased tendrils or plants are removed, and weeds that have made their way through the mulch are pulled out. Excess tendrils, as well as healthy leaves, can be composted.

However, any diseased parts of plants must be destroyed, because rotting is poorly suited for destroying pathogens. Also it is necessary to destroy plants affected by pests or their parts.

From spring to autumn, it is advisable to grow green manure on a designated area, and it is necessary to collect their green mass before the fruits form and the trunks become coarser.

As it ripens, the green mass of green manure is cut off and added to the compost, making it as balanced as possible and better suited for mulching strawberries than fresh grass.

Autumn features

In autumn, the soil is loosened, then covered with a layer of mulch 3–5 cm thick, which will protect the roots of plants from frost, and use only partially rotted compost.

If you mulch the area with fresh grass, there is a high probability that the mustache will be damaged by enzymes released by bacteria.

This mulching procedure allows you to grow strawberries in one place without depleting the soil for 5–7 years, whereas even with the use of modern fertilizers, the maximum period of effective fruiting in one place does not exceed 2–3 years.

To prepare a new area for transplanting strawberries, it in summer or early autumn they are planted with green manure, and when they have gained sufficient green mass, they are trampled down and mulched with partially rotted compost, after which they are watered with water and bacterial preparations.

After the snow melts, the compost is raked and after the soil has warmed up, the bushes prepared for transplanting are planted.

Cabbage

Cabbage is very demanding on the quality and nutritional value of the soil, so mulching should not be a one-time action, but a system, because only this approach will allow you to get large, healthy heads of cabbage.

Proper soil preparation begins in the fall, immediately after harvesting, and is planting green manure - legumes, clover and others - followed by trampling them down and mulching with compost mixture.

If you use only partially rotted grass to create a mulch layer, after 3–5 years the soil will become poorer, and the cabbage will have to be moved to another area. If, in addition to grass, you use manure and other components, then you will have to transfer the cabbage to a new plot in 8–10 years.

Before laying mulch It is advisable to loosen the area using a Fokin flat cutter or any other suitable tool that gently and shallowly loosens the soil.

Immediately after this, the area is mulched with partially rotted complex compost, and in warm regions you can even use fresh/dry lawn grass or forbs, a layer thickness of 3–7 cm.

To accelerate decomposition of plant material water generously with water and bacterial preparations.

In the spring, immediately after the snow melts, the remaining mulch is raked to the side, forming an empty space the size of the future hole or hole, and the soil is slightly loosened.

If cabbage is planted with seeds, then the autumn mulching material is returned to its place after the appearance of several true leaves at least the size of a child’s palm.

If seedlings are planted, then the autumn mulching material is returned to its place immediately after the first watering, that is, on the same evening when the seedlings were planted.

The next mulching is carried out after the appearance of the fruit ovary. When the head of cabbage reaches the size of a child's head, you can lay another layer of mulching material, using almost completely rotted complex compost for this.

Raspberries

Raspberries are a very unpretentious and tenacious plant that is much less afraid of summer heat than most garden crops. In addition, replanting a raspberry tree to a new location is a rather complex and time-consuming process, so mulching should be part of the overall plant and soil care system.

In early spring, when the snow melts, space around the trunk is cleared of winter mulch, so that the roots warm up faster.

The soil is carefully loosened, trying not to go deeper than 2–5 cm, so as not to damage the roots located at the surface.

After the first leaves appear, the autumn material is returned to its place and a new layer of mulch is immediately laid, which can be used as partially rotted compost from lawn grass or forbs.

The second mulching is carried out at the beginning of summer, before the onset of intense heat, and in this case it is better to use partially rotted compost with any number of components.

The third mulching is carried out after harvesting, on remontant varieties after the first harvest, and then another after the second harvest.

Exactly the third application of mulch material is the most important, because the effectiveness of the soil regeneration process will depend on it.

Therefore, for final mulching, partially or 2/3 rotted compost with the maximum number of components is used, including:

• manure or droppings;
• ash or lime;
• kitchen vegetable waste.

Also the ground needs to be loosened: if you have a Fokina flat cutter, then it is loosened before adding mulching material, but if you have a manual cultivator, then it is loosened after laying the new mulch, because this way it will mix better with the soil.

Potato

The first time grass mulch is applied to the beds immediately after planting seed potatoes, the thickness of the layer, as in the photo, above the holes is 1-2 cm, and above the surrounding area - 4-6 cm.

For this operation only partially rotted compost is needed.

The second mulching is carried out after the first or second hilling, and the same material is used.

The third time they mulch after the green manure has ripened, and you can take either fresh lawn grass or forbs (in this case, after watering, you will need to treat the mulch layer with bacterial preparations), or partially rotted compost.

This procedure for caring for potatoes allows you to plant this plant in one place without loss of yield for 5–8 years.

Peppers

These crops are mulched 2 times - first time in May-June, when the daytime air temperature exceeds 20 degrees and the soil warms up, and the second - after harvesting and ripening of green manure.

In greenhouses, where it is possible to obtain 2-3 crops per season, mulch is applied for the first time after the soil has warmed up, and then mulched immediately after planting the pepper seedlings. After the last harvest is harvested, green manure is planted, then trampled down and covered with a new layer of mulch.

Partially or 2/3 rotted complex compost is used as mulch, which is used after planting seedlings, and if it is not available, dried last year's hay (including forbs) or straw will do.

in autumn you can also use partially rotted compost or dried vegetation, however, in the latter case, it is necessary to water it with bacterial preparations to speed up decay.

In the spring, if not all the mulch rots, you need to rake it in the places of future holes so that the soil warms up, and after it warms up, first level the old material, then pour in new material.

Fruit trees and bushes

Fruit trees and bushes are mulched three times per season:

• after the soil warms up;
• during the summer heat;
• after fruiting.

Young plants, which have not yet had time to form a thick, strong bark, as well as any shrubs, sprinkled only partially or 2/3 with rotted compost.

Trees that are 5 or more years old can be sprinkled with any dry grass or partially rotted compost. The optimal layer thickness is 5–8 cm.

The first and third mulching must be done immediately after loosening the soil under trees and bushes, which mixes the rotted remains of the previous layer with the soil.

Roses

Methodology mulching roses very different from that accepted for other plants, because it is unacceptable for them to increase the soil level, because this will spoil the appearance of the flowerbed or lawn.

Each mulching with grass always begins by loosening the soil using a special device - a Fokin flat cutter or a hand cultivator - to mix some of the rotted organic matter with the soil.

• carefully collect and remove the remaining organic matter from the previous application, which can be sent to compost or applied to other plants;
• if necessary, remove the top layer of soil to ensure the same level throughout the entire area, then dig a small hole and fill the top layer of soil there;
• remove all emerging weeds;
• lay partially rotted compost or dry grass, including forbs, around the plant; if dry straw is used, then it is necessary to retreat 1–3 cm from the trunk.

The mulch layer is laid either throughout the lawn or flowerbed, or just around roses, optimal layer thickness 7–10 cm.

The first mulching is carried out in the spring, after the soil has warmed up (mid-late May), the second - a month after the leaves have fallen. In addition to mulching with grass, it is advisable to use green manure.

The benefits and harms of covering crops with lawn grass

Freshly cut vegetation poses a serious threat to cultivated plants, because bacteria in it actively secrete enzymes that break down complex organic substances.

Therefore, covering cultivated plants with fresh lawn or any other grass will cause a lot of harm.

However, if she in the fall, lay out on an area intended for planting cultivated plants next year, then it will bring a lot of benefits. After all, such organic matter will attract worms and increase the efficiency of the soil regeneration process.

If you cover cultivated plants with partially or completely rotted compost from lawn grass, they will develop in much more comfortable conditions, since such grass will not only effectively perform the functions of mulch, but will also serve as a good complex fertilizer.

Pros and cons of "hot grass"

There are many videos on YouTube dedicated to the technique called “hot grass” or “active mulch”, developed by Natalya Smorchkova. This method is called almost the best means for mulching any plants.

That is, they gave traditional compost a new name, but did not say the main thing - “hot grass” is not suitable for mulching, because bacteria do not have time to complete even the first stage of processing organic matter, so it contains a lot of enzymes that are dangerous to plants.

In order for “hot grass” to become suitable for mulching, it must first cool down, that is, the bacteria must complete the hydrolysis of organic matter and proceed to the acid-forming stage, and the content of dangerous enzymes that break down organic matter must decrease to a safe level.

Besides, nutritional value"hot grass" noticeably lower than multicomponent compost, which is more balanced in its composition.

Also, supporters of the use of “hot grass” claim that any vegetation can be used to make it, including weeds and diseased grasses, but this leads to serious problems.

Video on the topic

We have prepared several videos that will help you better understand the issue of mulching with “hot” grass. After weighing the pros and cons, you can determine the pros and cons and understand whether it is worth using this method in your garden.

From the following video you can find out how its author mulched peppers in his garden using “hot grass”:

Conclusion

Proper mulching with grass has a positive effect on the condition of cultivated plants, due to which they produce more abundant harvests.

Therefore it is one of the most effective agricultural techniques, which not only has a beneficial effect on the soil and crops, but also helps get rid of constantly growing grass, including weeds.

In this article we talked about:

• how to prepare such mulch;
• Is it possible to cover tomatoes, cucumbers and other plants with grass, put it on potato beds, as well as under fruit trees and bushes;
• what can be mulched with freshly cut lawn grass in open ground, and can it be used in greenhouses;
• how to properly mulch certain crops with grass.

We also showed what processes occur during this process. With this information, you can choose the right mulching method in your garden.

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