Lawn Mulching

A well-kept lawn is an essential element of a beautiful landscape. However, to keep the grassy surface pleasing to the eye and a source of pride for its owner, proper maintenance is required.

One of the essential practices ensuring adequate nutrition and protection for the lawn is mulching. This procedure is carried out once a year and involves evenly distributing a special nutrient-rich mixture made from organic and inorganic materials across the entire surface of the lawn area.

Why Lawn Mulching Is Necessary

Unfavorable weather conditions and regular watering gradually lead to surface unevenness and leaching of nutrients and mineral salts from the soil. Often, this results in weakened grass coverage and a deteriorated appearance. To fill unsightly gaps and preserve the beauty of the green cover, landscape designers recommend annual mulching.

This care method not only increases the beneficial turf layer by enriching the soil with essential nutrients, but also improves water and air circulation. Mulched lawn grass develops a large number of secondary roots, enabling more vigorous plant growth.

Mulch makes the topsoil looser and protects it from erosion. This nutrient-rich mixture reduces water evaporation and significantly reduces weed growth. Moreover, mulching enhances lawn resistance to various diseases and adverse environmental conditions such as frost, drought, and overwatering.

What Materials Make Up Mulch

Mulch is a special organic material typically made from fertile mineral soil, sand, and peat. All required components, which must be loose and dry, are thoroughly mixed and sifted through a sieve if clumps form.

Ordinary garden soil can be used as mineral soil. Peat may be replaced with leaf compost, but never with garden compost, which may contain pest larvae, weed seeds, and fungal spores. Fine-grained river sand is ideal for making mulch, as it does not contain lime, unlike its marine counterpart.

The amount of each component depends on the soil type. For clay soil, mix soil, peat, and sand in a ratio of 2:1:4; for loamy soil, use 4:1:2. Often, mulching is combined with soil fertilization, so necessary fertilizers are added to the base mixture.

When and How to Mulch a Lawn

The best time for mulching is early autumn or spring. To increase effectiveness, professional gardeners recommend removing thatch using rakes and performing lawn aeration. This involves creating small holes in the turf using ordinary forks or specialized aerators.

Prepare the mixture and distribute it evenly across the lawn area at a rate of 1.5 kg per square meter. Tools such as the backside of rakes, brooms, or brushes can be used. During mulching, make sure to fill all existing depressions and cracks in the soil. However, avoid covering grass too heavily, as it may die under the layer.