Garden mulch, which has been used in gardens for generations, serves several functions. Mulch's primary functions are to inhibit weed growth, control soil temperature, stabilize the dirt around plants and to help hold moisture in the dirt. Beyond the utilitarian aspect of garden mulch, it can be used to add beauty to the garden. Gardeners often pay close attention to the color and texture of the mulch used in flower and gardens.
Organic or Inorganic
Garden mulch can either be organic or inorganic. Heavy black plastic is often used because it's effective in prohibiting weed growth; however, there are concerns about its disposal after it has been used. A recent trend is to recycle automobile tires by grinding them up into a size suitable for mulch. Beyond the obvious advantage of recycling the tires, it results in a long lasting mulch. However, organic mulches have an advantage in that they decompose and improve the soil. Vital nutrients can be added to soil in this way. Organic mulches have to be replaced on a regular basis as they break down rather quickly.
Newspaper As Mulch
Newspaper can be used as a garden mulch in either full sheets or as shredded mulch. Only pages printed with black ink should be used, not the color sections. Black ink used in today's newspapers is organic but the colored inks can contain lead. Newspaper used in full sheets is a good weed blocker. Use a thickness of two to four sheets. Whether using it shredded or whole, newspaper usually needs to be topped off with another mulch to keep the wind from blowing it away. Adding a layer of newspaper under a layer of more expensive commercial mulch will reduce your costs. The newspaper will decompose in a season, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
Alternative Mulches
Gardeners are beginning to use products that were previously considered waste for garden mulch. One such mulch is cast off from the chocolate industry: cocoa bean hulls. According to Your Yard and Garden, the hulls are dark brown and smell like chocolate. In parts of the country where rice is grown and processed, rice hulls are being used for mulch. It is common in the southern United States to see cotton hulls used in gardens. In some areas, peanut and other nut shells can be used.
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