For a happy, healthy and lush Calgary yard this year, try an all-natural mulch in your garden! Mulch, especially the mulch known scientifically as Ramial Chipped Wood (RCW), refers to crushed and shredded green wood branches. It's the best mulch for enriching and protecting garden soil! RCW was developed and studied by Canadian Scientists at Laval University in the 1990s.
In these studies, scientists covered soil with a mulch of shredded and crushed young branches and sprigs that were freshly pruned from trees. These under 3" diameter branches acted as fertilizer to the soil, helped retain water, and eliminated the need for chemical fertilizers and treatments.
The use of mulch helps:
Feed plants
Organic mulch includes chipped wood, and the best wood to use is fresh, green branches because of its rich nutrients. Branches should ideally be turned into mulch with live buds, sap, and nutrients in tact, which means they should be mulched and applied as soon as possible, ideally within a few weeks.
Older, drier wood is not as nutrient rich, however it offers the benefits of soil enrichment, and is often available at a low price.
Apply mulch to your trees and gardens to provide them with more nutrients, and help strengthen your plants and encourage the best overall health and vibrancy.
Retain moisture
Mulch absorbs lots of moisture and stores it within the organic material. This reduces the effects of evaporation and run-off, allowing them to slowly release moisture and protect your soil from moisture loss on those hot sunny days. This will help reduce your water usage and encourage vitality and growth for your plants and trees.
Control weeds and pests
Mulch should be strategically placed as a ground cover around your garden and trees, and can act as a natural barrier along the ground, shading soil from sunlight and stopping weeds from sprouting. Mulch stunts the growth of weeds, allowing your plants to feed on the much needed nutrients in the soil, and to get their share of water. Lowering the competition from aggressive and unsightly weeds is a great way to help your plants achieve their maximum health potential.
In addition to stunting weed growth, mulch offers some pest control benefits as well. Mulch that contains various barks contain natural oils that act as a repellant to pests and insects. The strong scents of some mulches are very effective at deterring insects and animals, however some can actually attract animals. Reach out to our team of experts, Evergreen LTD has a Master Gardener and a graduate of the Bachelor of Science, Botany from the University of Calgary on the team who can guide you to proven scientific best practices for your mulch needs.
Protects your soil from erosion.
Mulch's covering properties with various layers of organic materials helps to retain moisture and protect against erosion from wind or other factors. By breaking the fall of raindrops and acting as a barrier, mulch can keep your garden, plants, and trees protected from soil erosion.
Deciduous Trees Make the Best Mulch
Deciduous, or leafy trees, make great mulch, especially when leaves are shredded into the mix. Leaf mold (shredded, decomposing leaves) works as a soil conditioner that increases the retention of water, improves the soil structure, and provides a fantastic habitat for earthworms and beneficial bacteria.
The Magic of Mulch
Protecting and enriching your garden, plants and trees with mulch is a great way to encourage healthy and vibrant yards, and on top of these benefits, it looks great too! Talk to our team with experts in botany, and our Master Gardener to get great advice on which mulch to use, or for complete mulch installation service. We can help you create your perfect outdoor oasis.
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