Mulching is important to help conserve moisture in the soil and to help prevent weeds. There are multiple ways you can mulch you garden, you can use:
- Straw
- Shredded leaves
- Compost
- Dried grass cuttings (if your lawn mower has a bag, you can empty it right into the empty garden bed as mulching)
- Store bought mulch
Whatever mulch you use, make sure it does not contain any pesticides or herbicides in it. Also if you are getting straw, make sure it is grass-seed free straw so you will not start to grow grass in your garden. Some store bought mulches, have dyes in them, you do not want these, as the dyes will seep into the soil and can affect your plants.
When you are mulching, you want to make sure your mulch is thick enough to stop weeds from popping up, but not too thick as to choke your own plants. This usually means that you need to use an inch or two of mulch, but it depends on what type of mulch you use.
