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..Mulching can reduce soil evaporation, helping your garden retain moisture and reducing your watering needs. Mulches reduce or prevent weed growth saving the gardener valuable time. Mulching insulate the soil from rapid temperature changes, an important factor in sandy soils or in areas prone to more extreme temperature changes. This insulating factor also protects falling fruit.Mulching provides protection from erosion and protects plants from mud damage.
One of the most important determining factors when choosing your top cover (mulch) is the look of the top cover and the way it will blend into your garden setting. Many people tend to choose smaller sized top covers for smaller bedding areas and the larger sized covers for bigger spaces.
Another consideration is the amount of traffic the area will get, in higher traffic areas consider choosing a material that is easier to walk on but not so small as to wear away quickly. In places where you have windier conditions or more slope you might want to consider a material that has matting properties.
When placing your mulch, plan to place the material several inches thick.
Most garden centers can help you figure out the yardage you need if you tell them square footage of your planting area and how deep you plan to place material.
Remember when you place to mulch to keep it a few inches from the base or trunk of the plant, for the healthier plants.
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