Why Garden Mulching Is A Must!
Mulch. It’s a strange word, isn’t it? The origin is uncertain but it is thought it might come from the Middle English word “molsh” (soft, moist) which is derived from the Old English “melsc”, “milisc” (mellow, sweet) which apparently was later used to refer to half-rotten straw.
But what is mulch? Well, it is a cover that protects and enhances your soil, though it can be used to landscape or provide ornamentation too. Mulch can have many benefits, including all these impressive ones:
1. Prevents erosion of the soil
2. Keeps soil moist
3. Keeps soil from clumping up
4. Stimulates earthworm activity (which increases drainage and prevents waterlogging)
5. Curtails weeds (the sunlight does not get through)
6. Acts as a shield against both heat and cold
7. Adds fertility as it interacts with the soil
This short video explains this very well…
Pretty good, I’d say! But how do you get this mulch? Because this is only an exemple because mulch can be bought but the self-reliant organic gardener can easily make their own and it can be made out of a number of materials, even newspaper. Other materials include leaves, manure, hay, straw, grass, woodchip and other shredded mulch. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages and the soil type should be taken into consideration. (more…)
Tips To Get The Best Tools for Gardening
Hardware stores cater for a wide range of tools, but there are shops that specialize in more expensive and higher-quality items. Different types of garden require different types of tools and you may need to visit both the common-or-garden (if you’ll excuse the pun) store as well as the specialist. Wherever you decide to spend your money, here are some basic tips to ensure you have the best tools for your organic home garden: (more…)
The Secret of Attracting Butterflies in Your Garden
This blog post is neither about growing butterflies nor having them don some gardening gloves and pick up a spade. No, this little piece is about how to attract these colorful lepidopterans into your organic flower garden!
Why would you want to do that? Well, they look pretty for one, and they will give hours of entertainment to your pet cat no doubt, but of course the main purpose of having butterflies enter your garden is so that they can help your plants. Of course they not only seek nectar, they also seek host plants on which to lay their eggs.
