This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Mulch, very useful for repelling weeds, has a host of other lesser known uses. It protects the roots, insulates the soil in winter and retains its humidity. It is therefore a major ally! Here are 8 things to know to get the most out of it and enhance your garden.
1. Several types of mulch are available on the market. Among them, cedar mulch. A well-known variety that is affordable, easy to find and particularly durable. It serves not only to control the growth of weeds during the summer, but also to effectively protect the soil from fragile plants in the fall.
2. For best results, use a layer of about ten centimeters at the base of the plants. However, be sure to leave the collar clear.
3. Shredded dead leaves are a great alternative to mulch. Just be sure to use healthy leaves, which have not been affected by diseases during the summer season. All you have to do is shred these leaves using a lawnmower and spread them at the base of fragile plants. One of the main advantages of this type of mulch is that it can be incorporated into the soil the following spring, helping to enrich it. A solution that is both ecological and economical!
4. You can also use unshredded leaves to insulate and protect the floor. However, you will have to hold them back with a net to prevent them from ending up at your neighbor’s house!
5. Just like mulch, straw can limit the growth of weeds and protect crops in the vegetable garden. You can contact a farmer near you to get them at low cost.
6. To increase the effectiveness of the mulch and protect the plants, be sure to put it in place before frost and extreme cold!
7. Chilly perennials, such as lavender, hibiscus and crocosmia, non-hardy rose bushes and plants that have just been planted like to have a helping hand to get through our winters! Remember to cover them well.
8. At the end of winter, all you have to do is spread or remove the mulch when the snow has melted!
To increase the effectiveness of the mulch and protect the plants, be sure to put it in place before frost and severe cold weather.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.