Bare Ground Is the Enemy But You Need More Than Plants to Fill It
Mulch is the solution. Here are 11 options to consider and 2 to avoid.
So, you’ve started your garden and put in your plants and watered and fertilized and you’re basically done, right?
Wrong!
See all that bare soil in between your plants? That’s a problem. That’s a big problem because it will lead to multiple other problems. Serious problems like an invasion of weeds, evaporation of precious moisture, and more. But the solution to those problems lies in one little word:
Mulch.
What is mulch?
Mulch is a general term for a material that is spread over open ground and around plants to protect and insulate the soil. There are many different types of mulches and they each have their pros and cons.
Visit any garden center or nursery and you’ll quickly discover that there are numerous options when it comes to choosing a mulch. Before making your selection, consider what you want mulch to do. A good mulch should do all of the following:
- Minimize evaporation in the soil
- Suppress weeds
- Moderate soil temperatures
- Reduce soil erosion
