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Living mulch consists of low-growing plants grown to cover the ground between crops. Commonly, living mulch is used for vegetable gardens during the summer months, but it has other uses as well. Living mulch is often associated with cover crops or green manure, but there are some differences between these gardening techniques.
- Sarah Yule
Mar 31, 2022 · A living mulch is a low-growing crop or crops planted beneath your main crops to suppress weeds, retain water, and even improve the soil. If you’ve read up on green manure crops, you already know what a living mulch is, only most of the time, they’re used in the off-season when you’re not actively growing.
Dec 30, 2023 · Explore our Mulch 101 guide for expert tips on choosing and using mulch to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and enhance your soil health in the yard and garden.
Sep 7, 2024 · To qualify as a living mulch, the mulch needs to act as foliage, grow short, and thrive in a cool season. If it takes traffic well, the living mulch can get planted between rows of vegetables or as a part of a vegetable rotation.
Mulch is a 2-4 inch thick layer of covering material such as bark, cocoa shells, shredded leaves, grass clippings, etc. that is spread over the soil to retain the moisture, suppress any weeds, and keep the soil cool. Since organic materials decompose into the soil over time, they almost act as compost which helps improve the fertility of the soil.
Jun 22, 2024 · Mulch can be a low-maintenance garden or lawn solution, improving plant health and the overall aesthetic. Here are some of the main benefits of mulch: Retains soil moisture. Mulch encourages soil moisture retention. Davis says allowing soil to be moist for longer periods of time leads to less frequent watering.
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Mar 21, 2024 · Mulch retains moisture in the soil, suppresses or blocks weeds, keeps the soil and plant roots cool, prevents frost heaving in winter, and makes the garden bed and landscape look more attractive. Technically speaking, mulch is any material used to cover soil's surface. Some types can also add nutrients to the soil.
