The benefits of mulching

Mulching is the name given to different types of mulches to protect and improve the soil, where most of the processes for good plant growth occur. By using natural mulches such as straw, leaf litter, pruning and crop residues, especially if they come from your garden, you are recycling the energy of the system, reducing the appearance of unwanted spontaneous weeds, providing organic matter, conserving humidity, and regulating the temperature. This is very important during the winter. Inorganic mulches such as landscape fabrics, stones and recycled materials are also available and last longer, however, they do not offer all the benefits of natural mulches, are more expensive and leave a larger ecological footprint. Regardless of which mulch best suits your needs, you should consider applying it in late summer, when the soil has received the warmth of the sun, making sure it is no thicker than 3 inches to reap its benefits. If you opt for organic mulching, you should first apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer or have previously sown legumes, to provide the nitrogen that is lost at the beginning when the mulch begins to decompose.