Mulching in the garden

In short: Mulching means covering the soil with organic material such as grass clippings, leaves, straw or bark mulch. It retains moisture, suppresses weeds and feeds soil life.

In more detail: The mulch layer imitates a forest floor. As it rots, humus forms (bodenaufbau-und-humus).

In detail

• Material: Grass clippings (thin, wilted), leaves, straw, wood chippings, compost. Bark mulch is better for shrubs.
• Thickness: About 3 to 8 cm. Keep stems and stalks clear.
• Timing: In late spring when the soil is warm.
• Nitrogen: Woody mulches briefly draw nitrogen. For vegetables prefer grass clippings or compost.
• Slugs: Mulch can encourage slugs, so use sparingly.
• Benefit: Less watering and weeding (richtig-giessen-im-garten, kompost-anlegen).