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Soil erosion is a pressing problem in the gardening world. It’s the cause of multiple pollution issues, including sedimentation of water bodies and loss of fertile land.
Luckily though, there are many ways to prevent soil erosion from taking over gardens. Adding mulch, for instance, is highly effective in stabilizing the soil. Mulch, specifically the organic kind, helps reduce the risk of soil erosion and protects the soil from other potential threats as well.
This guide will answer questions, such as can mulch prevent soil erosion and how exactly does mulch help?
Let’s begin!
Can Mulch Prevent Soil Erosion?
Gardeners resort to mulch as one of the many effective methods that help in hindering the process of soil erosion. Regularly applying mulch acts as a preventative measure that’ll prevent the soil from eroding in the first place.
While mulch is a temporary solution to stop soil erosion, it’s still considered a quick way to control the problem before it expands. It’s recommended that you mix garden waste, such as grass clippings, into your mulch compost too.
By ensuring that the mulch is rich in vegetation debris, nutrients, and organic living material, you’re not only protecting your soil, but you’re also making sure that your plants thrive in a nourishing habitat.
The benefits of using mulch don’t end there, though. Besides preventing soil erosion, mulch suppresses weed growth and reduces the risk of soil compaction. Mulch insulates the soil by stabilizing the inner temperatures and keeping the soil evenly moist.
How Does Mulch Prevent Soil Erosion?
Since mulch is typically mixed in with the soil’s top layer, this is how the mulch helps protect the soil from rainfall, wind exposure, and the effects of other detrimental elements.
That said, different kinds of mulch require a certain way to be applied to the soil. Wood-based mulch, for instance, should be added two or three inches deeper than regular, organic mulch.
Regardless though, your preferred mulch should cover most of your soil—or at least the areas that are more susceptible to erosion.
Such regions usually include steep slopes, hills, and unshaded parts of your garden where there are no trees to fight back strong winds or rain.
Around those areas, you should consider applying mulch more frequently than you do with the rest of your yard. Alternatively, you can use a heavy kind of mulch, such as stone mulch.
Heavier forms of mulch are more effective than regular ones mainly because they don’t shift around as much. This makes them especially great mulch options to use in windy regions.
What Kinds of Mulch Prevent Soil Erosion?
It’s important to mention that each kind of soil will need a type of mulch that’s best suited for its requirements.
Choosing a mulch to prevent soil erosion is no different, either. Considering that there are over six different kinds of organic-based mulch and two inorganic ones, it’s overwhelming having to pick which one is guaranteed to protect your soil.
No worries, though! This section goes into detail about the three main mulches that are primarily used to stop the eroding of soil.
Organic Mulch
Organic mulch is the most popular kind of mulch, especially since you can make it at home from your garden’s waste, including mowed grass clippings and withered plants. Store-bought organic mulch is just as effective, though.
Mulch that’s made up of organic materials is the top option you should consider to help control the effects of soil erosion. Organic-based mulch improves the soil’s health by maintaining the soil’s natural conditions, thus reducing the risk of erosion.
Among the many benefits, your soil gains from organic mulch are neutralizing pathogens, pests, and pollutants, in addition to providing year-long nutrients. Organic mulch also prevents soil erosion by reducing the impact of both soil compaction and water runoff.
To apply organic mulch correctly, make sure to mix it with the soil’s top layer, around two to three inches deep. Plant-based mulch should be reapplied every spring.
Straw Mulch
Straw mulch is a kind of organic-based mulch, only that it’s mostly made up of straw and wood-sourced materials. The important thing to remember when using straw mulch is that the compost should be mold and chemical-free.
Typically, you can use wood clippings, chips, soft timber, or ground wood. Some gardeners add grass clippings to straw mulch too, as a way to boost the compost’s percentage of nutrients. The final mulch will increase the nitrogen levels of the soil and protect it from damage.
Additionally, it’s recommended that you apply straw mulch by machine so that the material is anchored down. Since this mulch is usually applied to exposed hills, it’s more susceptible to wind exposure.
You can opt to mix in a heavier mulch, one that’s made up of stone and heavier material, to weigh the compost down in the ground—around four to five inches deep.
Hydromulch
Hydromulching is a homeowner’s last resort when it comes to preventing the spread of soil erosion, mainly because the process is quite expensive. Unlike the previous two options, it can be difficult to create your own hydro-mulch at home.
That said, a hydro-mulch is typically rich in fiber and equal amounts of mixed-in tackifiers to hold the fiber together. This compost is then added to gallons of water (the exact number is determined according to how many acres your land is).
Professionals may choose to mix in seed and fertilizer if the field needs it. The hydro-mulching process will require heavy operating machinery to both apply and plant the mulch into the ground.
Although hydro-mulching isn’t quite budget-friendly, it’s the most effective method to ensure that your soil won’t erode in the future.
Summary
Can mulch prevent soil erosion? Definitely! Using mulch is a proven method that helps protect the soil from eroding and nourishes it indefinitely.
You stand to reap many benefits from adding mulch to your soil—it’s not limited to preventing soil erosion. All it takes is choosing the right mulch for your plants and regularly reapplying the product whenever it’s necessary.
Make your own homemade mulch by repurposing your garden’s waste!
Sources
- https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/mulch/benefits-of-using-mulch.htm
- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20706549/how-to-mulch-your-garden/
- https://web.uri.edu/safewater/protecting-water-quality-at-home/sustainable-landscaping/reduce-soil-erosion/