A: Most of the different types of mulch will keep weeds out of the garden bed. Some of the most efficient out there include plastic and cardboard mulch because they make a solid barrier. If you want to use a different mulch, we recommend laying landscape fabric underneath as extra weed spread protection. Crohn DM, Bishop ML (1999) Proximate carbon analysis for compost production and mulch use. Trans. ASAE 42:791–797

Organic mulches also restrain many soil microbes which directly compete or degrade the pathogenic organisms with the help of many enzymatic reactions (Crohn and Bishop 1999). The pathogens of fungus mostly contain cellulose in their cell wall which is degraded by the cellulose enzyme which is produced by most of the soil microbes which live inside the mulch (Downer et al. 2002). Mulching with the aim of maximum colonization of microbes will also be helpful for the biological control of many harmful pathogens (Entry et al. 2005). This is the main reason of reducing the diseases using organic mulches such as straw (Bowen and Behe 1995) and woodchips (Davis 1994) in relation to polyethylene and fabric mulches. Zamurrad M, Tariq M, Shah FH, Subhani A, Ijaz M, Iqbal MS, Koukab M (2013) Performance based evaluation of groundnut genotypes under medium rainfall conditions of Chakwal. J. Agri-Food. Applied. Sci. 1: 9–12. Kiikkila O, Derome J, Brugger T, Uhlig C, Fritze H (2002) Copper mobility and toxicity of soil percolation water to bacteria in metal polluted forest soil. J. Plant. Soil. 238:273–280

Straw mulch versus hay

Zaragoza C, Moya S, Martinez G (1995) Effects of mulches based on pine bark and pruning residues in a fruit orchard), pp. 283-290.Proc. 1995 Congress Spanish Weed Sci. Soc., Huesca, Spain. Horowitz M, Thomas JM (1994) Couverture du sol pour la gestion des mauvaises herbes (Soil cover for weed management). In Maitrise des adventices par voie non chimique. Communications de la quatrieme conference internationale IFOAM (pp. 149–54) This mulch is great at filtering water and insulating the ground. It also helps protect the soil from erosion. This is also an excellent choice for plants that prefer acidic soil. Pine straw can be a lovely and free resource. Source: Carlin Joe Wood Shavings Sampathkumar T, Krishnasamy S, Ramesh S, Prabukumar G, Gobi R (2006) Growth , nutrient uptake and seed cotton yield of summer cotton as influenced by drip, surface irrigation methods and mulching practices. Res. J. Agric. Biol. Sci. 2:420–422 Iqbal R, Muhammad ASR, Muhammad FS, Imran HK, Salman A, Muhammad SZ, Muhammad U, Imran H (2019) Physiological and biochemical appraisal for mulching and partial rhizosphere drying of cotton. J. Arid Land. 11:785–794

Moursy FS, Fatma A, Mostafa N, Solieman Y (2015) Polyethylene and rice straw as soil mulching: reflection of soil mulch type on soil temperature, soil borne diseases, plant growth and yield of tomato. Glo. J. Adv. Res 2:1496–1519 MacLean RH, Litsinger JA, Moody K, Watson AK, Libetario EM (2003) Impact of Gliricidiasepium and Cassia spectabilis hedgerows on weeds and insect pests of upland rice. J. Agric. Eco. Enviro. 94:275–288 Dochinger LS (1956). New concepts of Verticillium wilt disease of maple. Phyto. 46: 467 (abstract).Lamont WJ (2005) Plastics: modifying the microclimate for the production of vegetable crops. Hortic. Technol. 15:477–481

Whenever people use synthetic chemicals, fertilizers, and mulches, they estimate the cost and benefit which comes out from the investment. Mulch materials are not so costly as compared to other synthetic materials in terms of soil heath and the overall performance of crop plants. When we use mulches, there will be no cost on pesticide purchasing (Clemens and Starr 1985; Gardiner and Yeiser 1998) or on other methods of weed control (Gardiner and Yeiser 1998). Use of locally produced wood debris for the purpose of rehabilitation of damaged lands increases farmer income and enhances performance of crop growth and development (Munir et al. 1998). For the re-vegetation of roadsides, brush mulch was found to be the effective and the economical ones in urban areas (Rothwell 1978). The materials which can be locally available such as peat and timber harvest residues are economical and enhance the overall growth and development of crops (Van Nierop and White 1958; Kader et al. 2019). Comparative effects of mulched and un-mulched Amongst different mulch materials, organic and inorganic are widely used in better reduction of weed control when these are used at adequate depth (Greenly and Rakow 1995) and these are not vulnerable to the compaction of soil (Einert et al. 1975). Inorganic mulches (gravel/stone mulch) when used at a 4-cm depth will avoid the colonization of weed species (Winkel et al. 1995). On the other hand, inorganic mulches provide better soil conditions such as moisture conservation and moderation of temperature but there is no light beneath these mulches and weed seeds who require light for germination do not germinate (Chalker-Scott 2007). Ringe JM, Graves DH (1990) Mulches derived from wood: an economic comparison of two materials used to reclaim surface mines. J. Forest. Prod. 40:35–38Rothwell RL (1978) Erosion control on forest roads. Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin, University of Alberta. 1:29–32

Straw does not contain seeds. This prevents the need for pulling weeds constantly in the growing season. It’s a great way to help you do a lot less work in the ground and gives your yard splashes of beautiful golden color.Pine straw mulch sounds fancy, but it’s literally just dried pine needles. Like leaf mulch, pine needles are readily available if you have the right trees. It’s just a matter of sweeping up the needles and spreading them across the garden. You can also buy pine needles in bales for even less than bark mulch. Green TL, Watson GW (1989) Effects of turf grass and mulch on establishment and growth of bare root sugar maples. J. Arboric. 15:268–272 These are the remnants of cereal and grain crops that are used for mulch material. Straw differs from hay only slightly because it’s the remaining hollow stalks of wheat, barley, or rye. Motisham et al . (2013) found lower weed densities in treatments under sesbania and plastic mulch over the control treatment. Plastic mulch controls the weeds more efficiently compared to sesbania. It was concluded that less weed densities in plastic mulch were due to higher weed control efficiency of the plastic sheet. Weeds were mostly present in interplant spaces. Suitable mulching materials include straw, garden compost, chipped bark or well-rotted manure. See our advice on mulches and mulching for further ideas. Tender plants that can not be lifted and stored