For the vast majority of folks, the notion of using plastic, as mulch is as strange as it is absurd. After all, mulch is supposed to assist the earth retain water and other essential nutrients. Plastic material is not exactly the malleable substance that is associated with the usual materials used as mulches. In contrast to materials like leaves, manure, and other organic elements, plastic is hard, non-permeable and is recognized as an environmental hazard since it is non-biodegradable. Therefore, how can it be used as mulch?
Nevertheless, recycled plastic mulch does exist and it is frequently used in gardens that extend by several hundreds of acres. Such a fact should be testament to the efficiency of such mulches for horticulture purposes. On the other hand, it still does not resolve the question why plastic mulch is beneficial for the garden.
The usual uses of gardening mulch is to help carry out the process of mulching which in turn helps to thwart the growth of weeds while also preserving the moisture content of the earth. Mulches made of plastic, given that they are able to cut off some of the oxygen supply necessary for the spread of weeds, serve these uses effectively. Furthermore, these mulches also slow down the process of evaporation.
Nevertheless, mulches made from plastic offer a unique purpose that no other kinds of mulch can offer, and that is, as agents of drip irrigation.
Since mulches made from plastic are non permeable, they create excellent conduits for water. When Positioned at the appropriate angle and they can provide water for the growing plants at more or less timed intervals. Look at it like a non-technological but inexpensive and innovative approach to drip irrigation.
Additionally, mulches made of plastic come in various colors that can manipulate the heat retained on the surface. This is essential in managing the prevailing temperature within the garden, and in a way, it is also essential in checking the level of moisture in the soil.
Currently, gardeners are learning the benefits of different colors of mulches for their gardens, synchronizing the same with the preferences of certain plants in addition to the qualities of a particular soil type.
Mulches created from plastic material may find a lot of hesitance from many gardeners everywhere, but its many advantages cannot be ignored. More and more gardeners are resorting to this novel mulch variety, with great success at that. It is an option that is definitely here to stay, and it is an option, which is quite definitely worth the try.