In gardening, there are plenty of different kinds of mulch, and most of them have their pros and cons.
Natural mulch is biodegradable and usually safe, and you can make it on your own – so it's extremely beneficial!
Here are a few ideas on what plants can help you produce your own natural mulch.
Grass
Cultivating a patch of grass in your garden allows you to harvest the clippings for mulch.
When you mow your lawn, collect the grass clippings and spread them around your plants.
These clippings act as a natural mulch layer, helping to retain moisture and inhibit weed growth.
Leaves
Trees shed their leaves during the fall season, making them an excellent source of mulch material.
Gather the fallen leaves and shred them into smaller pieces. These shredded leaves can be spread over the soil as mulch.
They provide insulation, prevent weed growth, and gradually break down, enriching the soil with organic matter.
Straw
Straw is a common mulching material that you can obtain from garden supply stores.
It is the dried stalks of grains like wheat, oats, or rice.
Spread a layer of straw around your plants to protect the soil from erosion, retain moisture, and suppress weeds.
Straw is particularly useful for vegetable gardens.
Comfrey
Comfrey is a fast-growing plant with large, nutrient-rich leaves.
You can cultivate comfrey in your garden and periodically cut the leaves to use as mulch.
These leaves break down relatively quickly, releasing valuable nutrients into the soil and improving its fertility.
Clover
Clover is a low-growing, spreading plant that can be grown as living mulch.
Planting clover as a ground cover in your garden helps suppress weed growth, prevent soil erosion, and add nitrogen to the soil through its nitrogen-fixing properties.
It acts as a living mulch, protecting the soil while providing additional benefits.
Previously, we talked about growing hibiscus.
