What is the purpose of mulching?

Question

Is it for help with retaining water for plants and trees or is it strictly decorative?

Answer 1

Both. It serves the practical purposes of retaining water, cooling the soil, and diminishing the growth of weeds, but many people also use it as a nice decorative touch.

Answer 2

1 Mulch serves as a block to slow the water from evaporation out of the soil as long as it is loose and not compacted. Once compacted into the soil it offers less evaporative protection.
2 Mulch keeps the soil cooler since the soil stays moist longer.
3 Mulch offers a dry surface so stems do not lay on damp ground and rot.
4 Mulches provide soil conditioning as they slowly decay. Additional organics help tilth, the structure of soil increasing free movement of air and water through the soil.
5 Mulch can suppress weed seed germination by blocking the seeds from sunlight if deep enough. A three-inch layer is recommended.
6 Mulch laid loosely on the soil surface absorbs the impact of heavy rain slowing compaction, slows runoff and prevents erosion.
7 Mulch lessens splash onto plant stems so suppresses the spread of some diseases.
8 Mulch can be applied to supplement low mineral content. IE ground oyster shell/gravel mulch provides calcium.
9 Mulch can be decorative or unite a diverse planting scheme.
10 Mulch can provide warmer soil temperatures as red plastic placed around tomatoes does. Use a material that absorbs infrared radiation so the soil warms faster.
Mulching material consequently needs to be selected for the specific purpose since one kind or mulch will not fulfill all functions. Mulching materials include inorganic gravel, or lava rock, plastic sheeting and organics like bark, pine needles, dried grass clippings, wood chips, nutshells, compost, and nearly anything else that lets water through and won’t smell when it sits for a while.

Answer 3

I mulch a lot to keep weeds from growing in flowerbeds and so that I don't have to mow too closely to tree's trunks, potentially harming them, and also to retain water. Over time, the mulch will decompose and improve the soil.

If you mulch your trees, keep the mulch a couple inches away from the trunk.

Answer 4

Mulching helps prevent the growth of weeds which will take water away from your plants and make you spend long hours in the hot sun.--and it looks nice :)

Answer 5

Mulching does not stop the weeds from growing it helps though. To help keep your plants moist so the won't dry out to fast it eventually become compost for the ground and the aesthetics from mulch make it look better.


....................Why Use Mulch?..................
http://www.ag.iastate.edu/departments/forestry/topics/community_forest/mulch_presentation/sld002.htm
http://www.ag.iastate.edu/departments/forestry/topics/community_forest/mulch_presentation/index.htm

Answer 6

To provide nutrients to the soil for healthy plant growth and use up natural waste instead of sending them to the dump.