Mulching: Meaning and Benefits of Mulching
Covering the soil surface (mulching) offers a protection against erosion (wind and water) and ensures moisture conservation. It tends to create a micro climate around root zone thus ensuring healthy plant growth.
Meaning of mulching: This is the process of covering the soil surface to make more favorable conditions for plant growth and development. The mulch (layer of material) could be organic materials e.g. manures, straw, grass clippings or inorganic materials like plastics or rubber.
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Benefits of Mulching
1. Reduces loss of moisture from the soil surface(evaporation).
2. Suppresses weed growth thus a measure of weed control.
3. Creates a micro climate around root zone thus ensuring healthy plant growth.
4. Reduces soil erosion.
5. Nutrient source to plants from decomposed mulch materials
6. Encourages microbial activity and worms in favor of soil.
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In conclusion, mulching the soil is an important farmer’s practice which basically enhances soil health by protecting the soil surface.
Mulching is the process of covering the soil surface with organic materials such as manures, straw, grass clippings or inorganic materials like plastics or rubber to make more favorable conditions for plant growth and development.
The practice has numerous benefits some of which include reduction of erosion and evaporation, weed suppression, addition of soil organic matter etc.
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