Bark mulch: the secrets of manufacturing and application. What and how to make mulch

I came across an interesting opinion of a summer resident about the use of mulch. It seems that there is something to think about and something to discuss. Below is the author's text.

During the long winter, I read a lot of scientific literature, but did not understand anything. No matter how you open any work of our modern "academicians", just dig and fertilize. And about how in the forest and in the meadow everything grows by itself, and has grown for millions of years, nothing.

And so, somehow I came across an old “book”, I don’t remember the author, sorry. Why "laid eyes" on her, but because in this, as I realized later, "masterpiece" not a word about KOPKA. It was difficult to write, but main idea caught. It presented the results of experiments, analyzes of soils for nutritional value, what and how plants eat, and much more. After re-reading it, I realized several times that the nutritional value of soils, based on 1 hectare, exceeds the need for plants grown on this hectare. I.e mineral nutrition contains more than it is required, but it is not available to the roots of plants.

Here's how it works, dear reader. And we buy mineral water in kilograms. But it, nutrition, can be available under one condition: “gentle processing of the surface layer of the soil no more than 5-7 cm”, that is, LOOSENING. When this condition is met, the root system will transport this food to the leaves.
Let's figure out together what and how happens under this loose layer of soil.

What happens is that - some "plow", while others "eat". Under this layer always:
1) humid, even in the "fierce" heat;
2) excellent gas exchange between the soil and the atmosphere;
3) there are no sharp temperature changes, day and night;
4) release of carbon dioxide.

These are exactly the four conditions under which bacteria, microbes, worms, etc., fruitfully and relentlessly “plow”. When organic matter is decomposed by bacteria, carbon dioxide. In contact with soil moisture, carbon dioxide is formed, which in turn brings soil minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.) to a state where they can be absorbed by plant roots. And the plants eat. But most Plants receive nitrogen nutrition from the air around them, and not from SALTPER.

Dying off, bacteria and microbes become food for more "gluttonous" worms. Passing through your digestive system"dead", soil, organic matter, worms, transform all this into HUMUS. Simply put, at the exit of the digestive tract of worms, a very small and nutritious lump of substrate is formed. And all these lumps are fastened together with mucus, the same worms. For plants, these are "honey" and "honey". The more humus, the more fertile the soil. From this it follows that SOIL FERTILITY IS NOT MEASURED BY THE STOCK OF NUTRIENTS, BUT BY THE PRESENCE AND NUMBER OF SOIL MICROFLORA IN IT.

What conclusion do we draw, dear. Correctly!!! ONLY SURFACE LOOSENING.

STOP. Though superficial and careful, but it is PROCESSING. That is, the use of some kind of force or effort. And who then loosens, again in the same place, in the FOREST and in the MEADOW? No one loosens, and this is not required. This action, that is, loosening, will be replaced by fallen leaves in the forest and dry, dead grass in the meadow. Everything is so simple that it is even brilliant. I have not seen this before. I saw it, but didn't know. Why do trees shed their leaves under them, the grass lies under the melted snow in the place where it grew. It turns out they feed themselves. You probably didn't know the same thing, my friend. But now YOU and US cannot be fooled on the "chaff".

WHAT lies on the surface of the soil, foliage, dry grass or something else, this is all called MULCH. The effect of mulch is the same as loosening. The four conditions described above are perfectly fulfilled, even better if the MULCH is ORGANIC. You have no idea how she disappears before our eyes. Only veins remain from the leaves, that is, a mesh. This is how bacteria “break down” organic matter. And what the worms do is incomprehensible to the mind.

Passing, one morning past the plots with garden strawberries, I will describe this below, drew my attention to the fact that some straws and leaves stand upright, which means vertically. I deliberately, enhancing the contrast, lay out thin layer straw into strawberry plots. Imagine, dear reader, on a bright yellow background, huge dark green leaves, and above them large white-yellow flowers and small red "apples". I was blown away myself when I did it.

I thought my son played a prank yesterday. He began to pull out leaves twisted into a tube and straws to put. As on one straw I saw a worm attached. He, of course, did not cling, he "ate" her. And you say, dig up for fishing. For nothing and never. Such "inventors", but in the mouth of a perch, God forbid.

Let our "raincoats" and "dungers" show all the strength and power. They just need help.
You don't have to bury anything. Mulch the surface and you will see what they are capable of. Our "native" workers are adapted to our own climate. DON'T WANT to help, then just DON'T INTERFERE with them.

Now, when we know who "MAKE THE EARTH", with full responsibility I declare, let's speak and write correctly. the word "LAND USE", instead of "Agriculture".
We use the fruits of the evolution of Nature, sometimes not skillfully, but mostly "deadly" to the real "farmers", that is, the soil microflora.

Imagine such a picture, YOU and WE, dear reader, sit and “stamp” humus, decompose organic matter, mix carbon dioxide with soil moisture. This is ABSURD.
We cannot “make” the land, but we already know how to use it competently, based on what we have read above. Thanks to the knowledge of the "correct" scientists and researchers, as well as my personal experience resulting in excellent data on the cultivation of various crops.

Take care and cherish our smaller "brothers", then mutual cooperation will be fruitful and mutually beneficial. I grew a bucket of carrots or beetroot in the garden, when harvesting, leave the tops and put 2-3 buckets of organic "garbage" in this place. It's not your concern anymore. The inhabitants of the soil will disassemble and process, each his own, turning this "garbage" into humus. Which will be intended for the next generations of plants.

This has been happening for millions of years. wild nature. Plants feed on what they themselves are made of. When they die, they return nutrients back to the soil. In soils where humans have not yet reached, organic residues are constantly in top layer. And this cycle is endless, of course, until the appearance on these soils h .... a.

You know, "the heart bleeds" when janitors rake leaves in the alleys, parks and other recreational areas in autumn. If they did not have time to collect before the snow, they do this “dirty” business in the spring. Then they are taken out by KamAZ vehicles to designated areas outside the city. And we suffocate from dust storms instead of enjoying the greenery perennial herbs. The soil cracks due to the direct rays of the spring sun. Soil surface erosion begins. After 3-4 years, they shift this "lifeless" soil into huge piles in order to take everything to the same sites. Then they bring black soil, level it, sow lawn grasses and starts all over again. Instead of spending such colossal funds on "stupid", "disastrous" work, they would increase pensions or subsidies for children.

No need to rake anything, let alone take it out. Remove from asphalt and footpaths, if you really like “cleanliness” so much and put this “garbage” nearby, on the ground. After 1-1.5 months, nothing will remain of this "garbage", and the benefits are HUGE.

MULCH ON THE SOIL SURFACE, THIS IS THE LIFE AND PROSPERITY OF THE SOIL, AND THEREFORE OUR LIFE, AS WE ARE TOTALLY AND FULLY DEPENDENT ON IT.

"CULTURED" SOIL SHOULD BE RETURNED TO OUR CITIES AND TO OUR COTTAGES.

THIS SOIL IS CREATED BY SOIL ANIMALS, MUSHROOMS AND BACTERIA AND NOT BY IRON HELPERS.

Most summer residents try to take into account fashion trends in the design of the backyard territory and create real masterpieces of landscape design on their site.

Cottage owners and country houses, which more possibilities and places for the implementation of innovative ideas, learn from experience Western countries, use innovative technologies and materials.

Soil mulching- one of such simple, relatively inexpensive and effective techniques.

Decorative mulch - what is it?

This material may have organic and inorganic origin. Mulch is anything that can be spread on the ground in a layer.

A mulch lawn is maintenance-free, has a permanently attractive appearance. You will save a lot of time and effort for interesting activities instead of weeding and loosening the soil for hours.

With an interesting eco-friendly coating can solve several problems at once:

• prevent the emergence of weeds;
• decorate a garden or summer cottage;
• create a favorable microflora for plants in the upper soil layer;
• to ensure the preservation of moisture, to produce drainage;
• protect soil from erosion and salt heavy metals that fall with rainwater;
• maintain sufficient soil ventilation;
• ensure the temperature regime: in frost, the roots of plants will not freeze, and in the heat they will not overheat;
• protect garden plants from pests.

Decorative mulch is suitable for use in regions with different temperature conditions. Mulch can be:

• natural shades;
• painted in various colors.

This decorative coating is used:

• in gardens and summer cottages;
• on walking and jogging paths;
• for finishing the shores of pools and reservoirs;
• in winter gardens;
• to create a protective layer in indoor plants.

What is mulch

The decorative coating is made from different materials. Particle size can be: small, medium and large.

The following materials are used for the production of mulch:

Decorative mulch in landscape design

Landscape designers often use soil mulching to hide irregularities, to give the surface a uniform, aesthetic appearance. Trees and shrubs look very beautiful against the background of a smooth mulched surface.

The use of mulch allows you to create a single space that is difficult to equip with other materials on a site with several tiers. Bright colors enliven your garden, especially in shady areas.

Using mulch from various materials, you can create original compositions various shapes, volume and design. Several kinds decorative coating especially popular:

1. crushed marble chips. With its help you can:

• sprinkle paths in your garden;
• finish the alpine hill;
• decorate dry streams, which are often done in a Japanese garden;
• create from crumbs different colors stylish compositions on the lawn or elsewhere.

• creation of an artificial mountain landscape in which there is a reservoir;
• track sprinkles;
• to create independent compositions from material of various colors.

pros:

• easy to lay;
• difficult to blow away by the wind;
• you can arrange the material of different colors and create "pictures of stone".

Manufacturing

You need to decide what functions the mulch will perform on your site. If only protective - this is one option. If you also want to decorate the surface - the second.

Mulch is made to protect plants.:

1. fallen leaves. Since autumn, leaves are harvested that are suitable for use all year round.
2. newsprint. Layer of newspapers: 4 to 6 sheets. They are laid out on beds around plants that are planted like seedlings. Newspaper mulch is especially good for cucurbits.
3. straw. The hay is not good. Weed seeds that accidentally fall into it will germinate, and instead of benefiting, you will get the opposite effect. Paths are covered with straw, a layer of several centimeters is laid around strawberries and strawberries.
4. Live cover plants(clover, for example).
5. pine needles. They are carefully peeled from the branches, a layer of 2-3 cm is poured. Great for raspberries, strawberries, potatoes.
6. Finely chopped herbs. Grass chips have proven themselves well where plants are often planted (carrots, peppers, etc.). The soil becomes very fertile.
7. crushed eggshell . Crush the dry shell into pieces 0.5-1 cm in size. Calcium and the minerals contained in it nourish the soil. The layer thickness should be up to 1 cm.

For decoration, ready-made mulch is more suitable - gravel, crushed stone, marble chips. You can buy natural wood chips and paint them in various colors.

Try to cover the surface under the trees with moss, reeds, sawdust. By combining colors, make compositions that are pleasing to the eye.

Prices

For your favorite garden, nothing is a pity! This is the motto of many summer residents and owners of country houses. You don't have to spend crazy money to mulch the soil.

Using marble chips is, of course, a more expensive option, but most types of mulch are affordable for many.

Compare prices:

• pine bark (bag, volume 50 l) - 50-70 rubles;
• organic mulch (produced on equipment from the USA) - for a volume of 50 liters - 347 rubles;
• colored organic mulch (in a 50 l bag) - 347 rubles;
• decorative wood chips (bag, volume 50 l) - 161-210 rubles;
• zeolite crumb. Green color. 10 rub. for 1 kg;
• marble chips (white) - Fraction 3-5. Volume - 12 liters. 347 rub. for packaging;
• crumb marble. Color - cream - 6.5 rubles. for 1 kg;
• crumb quartzite. Color - red. - 9 rubles. kg;
• colored wood chips - 347 rubles per bag (50 l);
• pine crumb for orchids (bag, volume 1 l). Price 15 rubles.

How to make decorative mulch with your own hands?

How to make mulch? It's very easy to make your own mulch by breaking brick into small pieces and sprinkling it on paths and other areas. Take crushed bricks of different colors and create an interesting pattern.

Is there some more interesting option, which will allow you to get mulch of different colors and shades. You can paint ordinary decorative wood chips with special paints and turn it into a material that will make your dreams of bright, interesting lawn cover come true.

And here is a video on how you can make mulch with your own hands.

Colored mulch. Mulch paint

You will need eco-friendly pigment super concentrated paints on water based for coloring wood chips. Coloring compositions and paint are produced on the basis of organic pigments with high color fastness. Chips dyed using this technology will serve for several seasons without washing out and losing color.

Wood chips are poured into a container, paint is added desired color and stain. All mix, let soak. After the layer of sawdust is well dried. You can pack. Colored mulch is ready.

These pigment based paints have the following advantages:

• saturated, bright colors;
• safe;
• high light fastness - up to 7 points;
• do not fade and do not fade for several seasons;
• easy to apply;
• formed protective film which does not pass water;
• an economical product (only a liter of paint is needed for 9 kg of wood chips).

The use of decorative mulch will help you solve many problems that arise on suburban area. Interesting design your site, bright compositions, shrubs and trees that look favorably against the background of a uniform coating - these are the advantages of using mulch. At the same time, plants will be protected from weeds and pests.

Inorganic mulch will create additional drainage, while natural mulch will retain moisture. Mulching can be carried out both outdoors and for indoor plants. Mulch has many benefits. Use this material - and you will see for yourself that mulch can do a lot!

All gardeners and gardeners are faced with the need to mulch the soil when growing cultivated plants. Mulching is the covering of the topsoil with special materials.

This is done not only to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, but also to protect plants from frost, overheating, infection with diseases, and for other reasons.

What is mulch and how to make it yourself?

Mulch is a natural covering material that protects the soil and plants from all sorts of problems.

We are very glad that you have visited our website!

Mulching has many benefits. With this method, the following problems can be solved:

1. Weed control. Mulching crops helps to prevent weeds, and the effectiveness of this will depend on the material used for mulching and on the height of its embankment.
2. Retention of moisture in the topsoil. Moisture when using mulching material evaporates much less, so that the frequency of watering plants can be reduced.
3. Creating an optimal temperature regime. Mulch will protect both from the summer heat, scorching sun, and from freezing of the root system in winter.
4. Improvement physical properties soil. The soil will not require loosening, as many types of mulch have a loose structure. The roots of the plant will receive more oxygen.
5. Prevention of soil erosion by protecting against negative impact wind and torrential rain.
6. Improving the root system of plants - greater formation of adventitious roots.
7. Prevent plant infection. Often, plants in direct contact with the soil, which contains pathogens, begin to get sick. The mulch layer creates a barrier to the spread of diseases. This technique is especially useful for strawberries, cucumbers and tomatoes.
8. Creating a decorative landscape design from a variety of mulching materials, sometimes even painted in different colors.

Many of the above properties have an impact on crop yields. Thus, by applying mulching, with less effort, rich harvests can be obtained.

What types of mulch are there

DIY mulch can be made from organic or inorganic materials.

To organic species mulches include leaves, chopped hay or straw, cardboard, paper, humus, walnut shells, needles.

As an organic mulching material, the remnants of the timber industry are also used - sawdust, wood chips and bark. Sometimes ready-made pellets from plant waste are used.

Inorganic types of mulch include agrotextile, gravel, sand, chopped rubber and plastic.

In horticulture and horticulture, preference is given to organic mulching materials. In the future, these materials rot and are already used as fertilizer.

How to make mulch with your own hands

You can make several types of organic mulching materials yourself.

It is possible to prepare as a mulching material a mixture of various plant residues- leaves, straw, husks, seeds, grass and other unnecessary organic matter.

When using organic materials for mulching, remember that they decompose over time and require backfilling.

Too much mulching material can cause rotting of the roots, so it is important to respect its height, which should be no more than 8 centimeters.

My aunt - amazing woman. Even the seemingly most useless things do not disappear in her household. She manages to find a use for everything: old furniture, dishes, clothes and even paper. Last weekend I caught her doing what I thought was an amazing activity: her aunt was spreading newspapers around the garden and pouring plenty of water on them.

Mulch with your own hands

To protect cultivated plants from weeds, many gardeners use a simple trick. They spread on the prepared beds a small protective layer from paper (you can use newspapers, cardboard, bark or sawdust), water it with water, and then plant plants.

The sun's rays do not penetrate a thick layer of mulch and weed shoots quickly die. In addition, mulch retains moisture much longer, and also prevents water splashing and erosion of the topsoil. Try to make it simple mulch from newspapers you will be amazed by the effectiveness of this method!

You will need

• newspapers or cardboard
• bucket

Important to know: weeds should not be used as mulch (even plucked and processed chemicals), as well as fallen leaves (they can be carriers of harmful microbes or fungi).

Mulching allows you to create favorable conditions for the development of crops, as well as to increase aesthetic appeal site. Today, this technique is used by many gardeners and gardeners. And it is the use of bark mulch that has certain advantages compared to the use of other materials.

What is soil mulching

Mulching not only protects the plant from drought and pests, but also performs a decorative function.

Mulching is an agricultural practice that involves covering the soil with a layer of organic or inorganic material. This procedure is carried out both in greenhouses and in the open field.

Mulching allows you to solve the following tasks:

• retain moisture in the soil;
• prevent overcooling of plants;
• protect root system from overheating;
• prevent washout nutrients from the earth;
• prevent the growth of weeds;
• protect the fertile soil layer from erosion;
• decorate the area.

Options for using mulch in landscape design - photo gallery

Mulch is suitable for rock garden and flower garden Decorating the garden area Mulch protects crops from frost Mulch will give the garden originality Decorating the flower garden with mulch

Used as mulch various materials both natural and artificial origin. These include the bark, which has the following advantages:

1. In the process of decay, it increases the fertility of the soil, saturates it with nutrients.
2. For growing blueberries, bilberries, cranberries, heathers, rhododendrons and coniferous plants A slightly acidic soil pH is required. It is this mulch that will help to achieve the required indicator.
3. The material filters water and prevents the penetration of harmful components to the root system.
4. Bark mulch prevents hardening of the outer soil layer and eliminates the need for frequent weeding. This is especially true when growing plants with a shallow root system, which can be damaged by systematic loosening.
5. The composition of the bark includes volatile elements that prevent the development of diseases such as gray rot, fungal infections, root rot.
6. The bark is distinguished by its nematocid properties, that is, it prevents the appearance of soil nematodes. These are pests for which no means of protection have been developed to date.
7. The bark layer creates favorable microclimatic conditions for the appearance of earthworms. They improve soil structure, increase its breathability and fertility.
8. The bark protects the soil from pests.

However, it should be noted that this material is used for perennials, but it is not suitable for annual crops.

Mulching features - video

Step-by-step instructions for making mulch with your own hands

Material selection and workpiece

bark mulch

For mulching, the bark of any tree, such as pine or larch, is suitable. But at the same time, some nuances should be taken into account:

1. Oak bark contains a large number of tannins. For this reason, it is not recommended to use it when growing whimsical plants.
2. Pine bark will last about 3 times longer on the site.
3. Birch material has the highest decorative properties.

Harvesting mulch begins with the choice of a tree. To do this, you need to take into account some features:

1. Do not remove the bark from living plants, this will lead to their death.
2. Also do not use old and decayed trees. Their bark has no nutritional value, it lacks the necessary substances. In addition, many pests start up in old trees, and they are often affected by fungal diseases. Using their bark, you run the risk of infecting the crops growing on your site.
3. To make sure the material is suitable for making mulch, remove a small part. If the bark easily detaches from the trunk and does not break into small pieces, it can be used.

Important! The best option for harvesting are trees cut down no more than six months ago.

Processing and grinding

Grinding of the bark is carried out both manually and automatically

You can grind the bark with any tool. Usually, pruners or scissors are used for this. Also use garden shredder. You will need to do some simple manipulations:

1. First, simply cut the dry bark so that its pieces do not exceed 1–5 cm in size.
2. Then the material must be sterilized. This will eliminate the risk of infection of plants with diseases and pests. Place the bark in a container, fill with water and boil for 10 minutes.
3. There is another way to sterilize. Warm the bark in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 70 ° C. Do not exceed this temperature level. With more high rates pieces of bark will ignite.

Important! Some gardeners use steaming, but this method is not suitable for bark, because under the influence of steam the wood structure is destroyed.

How to grind the bark - video

Application of the bark

Mulching takes place on fertilized soil

The soil is mulched in spring and autumn. The procedure is recommended to be performed when the earth warms up well. by the most the right time is May - it is not recommended to mulch earlier, as a layer of bark will prevent the soil from warming up. If the ground is damp, the procedure should be postponed until it dries. Otherwise, the soil will become too dense.

In autumn, mulching is carried out at the very beginning of the season - in September. This period is the most suitable for the preservation of beneficial microorganisms in the soil. In some cases, the soil is mulched and in winter time to protect crops from severe frosts.

The process is performed in the following sequence:

1. First you need to clear the area of ​​debris, weeds and fallen leaves. If the surface of the soil is dry, water it.
2. Then apply fertilizer. Nutrient mixtures are brought into the ground to a depth of 15–20 cm. It is this level that corresponds to the vigorous activity of the roots. With the surface laying of top dressing (by 1–2 cm), plants will not be able to absorb useful material. Most effective organic fertilizer considered rotted horse or cow dung. It is applied at the rate of 3–4 kg and 5–8 kg ha 1 m² of soil, respectively. You can also use peat or compost (2.5 kg and 5 kg per 1 m²).
3. Before mulching, apply and mineral fertilizers. 300 g of nitrogen compounds (urea, carbamide or ammonium nitrate), 250 g of phosphorus and 200 g of potassium substances.
4. Then the bark is poured in a layer of 2–8 cm. Its thickness depends on the density of the soil. Coverage on heavy loamy soils should not exceed 2 cm. On light, loose soil, a layer of 5 to 8 cm can be poured.
5. A certain distance must be observed between plants and mulch. For shrubs, this is 40–50 cm, for trees - 70–80 cm. The soil is mulched with bark every 2–3 years.

Master class on the use of mulch - video

Common Mistakes

Mistakes in mulching can negatively affect plant development. One of them is the covering of unheated soil. It is not recommended to start mulching before May. Otherwise, a layer of bark will prevent the heating of the soil near the roots.

The second mistake is mulching dry soil. As a result, the roots of plants will not be able to get the necessary moisture. Also, errors include the location of a layer of mulch directly near the stems and trunks of plants. This will lead to crop rot.

Mulching will help protect plant roots from hypothermia, overheating, the development of diseases and pests. It will also provide and support optimal level moisture. The use of bark will enrich the soil with nutrients that are necessary for the development of vegetable and horticultural crops. But in order to get the most effective result, you need to take into account the rules for harvesting and processing the material.