Mulch is used to retain moisture in the soil, suppress weeds, keep the

soil cool, prevent frost heaving in winter, and make the garden bed look
more attractive. Organic mulches also help improve the soil’s structure,
drainage, and nutrient-holding capacity as they decompose.

Organic mulch will decompose and have to be replaced, but in the

process, it will also improve your soil’s structure and its organic
content. The dryer and woodier the mulch, the slower it will
decompose and the fewer nutrients it will give to the soil.

It pays to know the origin of mulch, since it can contain viable weed

seeds or chemicals. The last thing you want is to spread a mulch that
is going to start sprouting and make more work for you--or
contaminate your plants with chemicals. Each type of organic mulch
has its own use.

Bark

Bark mulches are best used around trees, shrubs, and in garden beds
where you won’t be doing a lot of digging, like front walkways and
foundation plantings. These woody mulches don’t mix well into the
soil, and it can become a hassle to have to keep moving them aside to
make way for new plants. They will, however, last longer than finer
organic mulches.

Grass Clippings

Grass clippings are a mixed bag and are best suited to remote areas of
your garden where you want to suppress weeds. Grass clippings, like
most green plant debris with high water content, decompose very
rapidly, and in the process, they can get somewhat slimy with an
unpleasant odor, so use with discretion. Grass clippings also tend to
mat down and not allow water to pass through.

Ideally, you should use a mulching mower and leave the clippings on
the lawn to add fertility to that soil. If you do bag your grass clippings,
don’t throw them away unless you have used weed killer or some
other herbicide or pesticide on your lawn. Synthetic lawn care products
can be bad for some flowers, and you certainly don’t want to use them
in your vegetable garden. Untreated grass clippings can either be
dumped into your compost bin or used to mulch open, unplanted
areas.

Newspaper

Newspaper as mulch is becoming more and more popular. Most

newspapers have switched over to organic dyes, especially for their
black & white sections. Shredded newspaper has been used for years
to keep plant roots moist while shipping. Layered sheets of newspaper
also have great moisture retention abilities, and they act like other
organic mulches as far as suppressing weeds and controlling soil
temperatures. They are also great for smothering existing grass to
jump-start a new garden bed.

To use as a mulch in the garden, spread a layer of four to eight sheets

of newspaper around the plants. Moisten the sheets to keep them in
place. On windy days it’s easier to moisten the sheets before you place
them down. Cover the newspaper with a one to three-inch layer of
another organic mulch and the weed protection should last throughout
the growing season.

Shredded Leaves

Shredded leaves are nature's favorite mulch. They can be used as

mulch anywhere and have the added bonus of being free. You will also
entice more earthworms to your garden soil. Some gardeners don’t
like the look of leaves in their garden, and they probably aren’t
appropriate for a formal setting. If you spread a layer in the spring
before plants spread out, the leaf mulch tends to blend into the view
within a short time. Shredded leaves are perfect for woodland gardens,
and if you spread a layer over your vegetable garden in the fall, it will
begin decomposing over the winter.

Unshredded leaves can mat together and repel water in rainy areas. If
that happens, you can always rake and fluff them up a bit if they
appear to get matted.

Straw and Hay

Straw and salt hay are popular mulches for the vegetable garden.
They keep the soil and soil-borne diseases from splashing up on lower
 plant leaves and make paths less muddy. Straw decomposes very
slowly and will last the entire growing season. It also makes a nice
home for spiders and other beneficial insects who will move in and
help keep the pest population in control. Finally, it’s easy to either rake
up or work into the soil when it’s time to plant a new crop or put the
vegetable garden to bed.

Types of Synthetic and Inorganic Mulch

 Black Plastic
 Landscape Fabric
 Stone/Gravel

Synthetic and inorganic mulches do a good job of holding moisture and

blocking weeds. They don’t add any nutrients to the soil, but they
don’t decompose quickly or require replacing as often as organic
mulches. However, as plastic decomposes, it's detrimental to the soil
and the environment. Likewise, landscape fabric allows weeds through
as it decomposes after a few years.

If you like the functionality of plastic or landscape fabric but not the
look, you can always add a thin layer of bark mulch on top of the
plastic or fabric for camouflage. As the bark decomposes, weed seeds
will be able to take hold on top of the plastic or fabric. You will also
need to replace the bark as it disintegrates. If you’re building raised
beds, consider making them the width of your plastic or fabric so that
you can cover the bed without seams. However, if you're an organic
gardener, you may want to forgo using plastic in vegetable beds, as it
can contaminate into the soil as it breaks down.

Plastic and Landscape Fabric

Plastic and landscape fabric are good choices for around foundation

plantings and other shrubs and trees. These plants don’t require
frequent fertilization and, for the most part, you won’t be working in
these beds regularly, so you don’t want to have to worry about
weeding them throughout the summer.

Plastic gets very hot in the summer and, besides smothering weed
seeds, it can also kill all the good things in the soil, including plant
roots and microbes, unless there is sufficient moisture. Be sure to cut
holes in the fabric to allow sufficient water to pass through. If you are
seeing puddles accumulate on top of the plastic or fabric, you don’t
have enough drainage. Landscape fabric is porous and shouldn’t be a
problem unless it gets blocked.