Why Mulch?
Mulch can not only make flower beds more attractive by adding a layer of material over bare soil, it also has several positive benefits, such as making garden maintenance easier while improving the health of your plants. Here are some of the main advantages
Mulching enriches the soil by giving it nutrients. When you lay the mulch over your soil the decaying organic matter provides nutrients to the soil and improves the fertility of the soil. These nutrients feed the plants and organisms living in the planting area covered with mulch
Mulching reduces water loss from the soil. The mulch absorbs water from rainfall and irrigation and slows the evaporation of moisture from the soil. The improved water retention will reduce the amount of water you need to use in irrigation.
Mulching suppresses weed growth. Mulch prevents sunlight from reaching germinating weeds, and provides heat so they aren't able to grow. When weed seeds land on top of mulch, they aren't able to root themselves deeply into the soil, so even if they grow they are easier to remove.
It controls or prevents soil erosion from taking place. Mulching helps in a significant way to reduce erosion of the top soil. It does this by protecting the soil from agents that cause soil erosion, such as water and wind.
As the mulch decomposes it also improves the structure of the soil by adding space between particles in the soil. The added space in the soil better supplies plant roots with water, oxygen and nutrients because the roots aren't compressed in hard, compacted soil.
It also regulates the temperature of the soil by providing an insulating layer. So in the winter it keeps soil warmer, and in summer it keeps it cooler, so helps plants combat the excesses of the summer heat, or the cold in winter.
Mulching promotes the activities of organisms that help the soil. Certain organisms such as earthworms help the soil in a very important way. When mulching is applied, it creates a very conducive environment for these soil organisms to operate and help the soil with their activities.