When taking care of oneβs garden, a gardener has many things to consider, one of which is the condition of the soil beneath trees, bushes and flowers.
In flower gardens one of the most commonly used methods of preserving the condition of the garden is the usage of different varieties of mulch and there are a lot.
You can choose from straw mulch, crass clippings, tree bark, tree chips, some synthetic variants and even newspapers β but one of the most prevalent ones are coniferous tree bark mulches β why is that?
What are the benefits of coniferous mulch for the garden
The bark of coniferous trees is full of tree sap which is their main immune system which protects them from incents and fungi which are very difficult to get rid of.
Studies show that the air in a coniferous forest is much cleaner and full of minerals and important gases than other forests and the sap of the trees is one of the biggest culprits for this.
Even when dead this sap is left in the bark of the tree which is a byproduct of milling β mills sell it to companies which market it for garden use and burning. Due to the high contents of turpentine in the bark no insects want to go near it β which is its main benefit of this type of mulch.
It is acting like an added immune system for the plants, with biodegradable qualities that release nitrogen into the soil gradually and not over saturating it β because too much of something good is bad.
This type of mulch also has longer period of protection because of its resilience to fungi which are the main way organic material is degraded into the soil.
The prevent moisture evaporation
Moisture evaporating, especially during the summer, is one of the reasons the root systems of many plants start suffering β the quick process of water heating up is detrimental to the life of a plant.
With mulch you not only prevent direct sunlight but also have an extra barrier for heat which makes the ground a lot cooler during the summer and a lot warmer during the winter.
Mulch can also increase the fertility of the soil, bettering the condition of your plants and can even be used as invasive species prevention by reducing the amount of direct sunlight that reaches the top of the soil.
It prevents plants from germinating and makes it a lot easier for you to take care of the garden in general.
Mulch needs to be replaced once every 6 months to 1 year, depending on the time of year it has been placed as well as the moisture content and the mulch type itself.
