Mulch: weed eradication is important is all gardening. Mulch is a primary resource used to prevent weeds in a garden.
What to Use and Application
The strategy in using mulch materials in weed prevention is to stop the germination of weeds and to smother the weeds that are present in the soil. Shredded hardwood is an excellent weed preventing mulch.
- Use weed-less mulch material
- Apply mulch deeply
Surprising Mulch Materials
Some mulching materials are not organic, which work better if they are covered with a form of organic mulching material.
- Black polyethylene film (black plastic)
- Landscape cloth
- Woven ground cloth
Black plastic kills weeds. It holds water in and in areas that don’t drain well the perforated black plastic should be used to encourage drainage. Cover the black plastic with soil to stop the sun from breaking down quickly. A layer of wood chips or pine needles lessens heat absorption.
Woven ground cloth and landscape cloth also prevent weeds. But some types of grass can growth through the holes in the cloth. Fasten down landscape cloth so that perennial weeds can’t force it up. Layering the cloth with a few inches of a different mulching material compliments the weed prevention effect.
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