Mulch material: bark mulch & Co. in comparison

What materials can be used for mulching? Which mulch material is used for which purpose? We show the advantages and disadvantages of bark mulch, pine mulch and Co.

For most people, mulch is an integral part of their garden. Many especially appreciate the visual appeal of various mulch materials. But mulching not only has a positive effect on aesthetics, it can also support the plants: It reduces them Evaporation near the ground, thus protecting against dehydration, securing the ground against erosion and compensating for temperature fluctuations the end. In addition, many mulching materials such as Bark mulch against weeds used: They reduce weed pressure as they inhibit the growth of uninvited guests. Mulch is a real life insurance policy, especially in winter - it protects plants that are not in the house Can overwinter before freezing to death, thus ensuring that they are undamaged for the next year come. There is now a whole range of materials that are said to be suitable for mulching. We'll tell you what advantages and disadvantages these have and which material is to be used for which plant. which

Benefits of mulching in the garden, you can find out in our special article.

Bark mulch

Bark mulch is probably one of the best-known mulch materials and is particularly popular because of its attractive appearance. The organic material consists of the bark of various conifers and deciduous trees and is ideal for mulching perennial beds, but is also used as a road surface. Especially ferns, Hydrangeas (Hydrangea) and rhododendron (rhododendron) love the bark mulch. This particularly reliably suppresses weeds and also shields the soil well from drying out and erosion. At the same time, bark mulch has a soil-activating effect, because it slowly rots into humus and offers various additional options Beneficial insects a shelter. Unfortunately, bark mulch also has numerous disadvantages: Fresh bark mulch often contains herbicidal tannins that remove nitrogen from the soil. This problem can be reduced by using the already fermented bark humus instead of bark mulch and also paying attention to sufficient nitrogen fertilization. In addition, specially purchased bark mulch is often contaminated with increased cadmium concentrations. In addition, not only beneficial insects fill up, but also voracious ones Snails especially good in bark mulch - you should therefore use other materials to mulch the vegetable patch.

Pine mulch and pine bark

Pine bark or pine mulch and bark mulch are very similar - with the small but subtle difference that only pine (Pinus pinea) is used as the starting material for the former. As a result, the pine bark mulch has many advantages of the bark mulch. For example, it impresses with good weed suppression and protection against drying out. In terms of appearance, the pine mulch is in no way inferior to the bark mulch with its attractive red-brown color and beautiful smell.

In addition, pine bark rots much more slowly, so it does not have to be replaced as often, has less moss and is less polluted. However, pine mulch also removes nitrogen from the soil during the rotting process (albeit less than bark mulch), which must be compensated for with additional fertilization.

In addition, pine mulch is often significantly more expensive than normal bark mulch and has a poorer CO due to the mostly long transport route₂-Balance sheet. Pine bark is particularly suitable for mulching perennial beds, but can also be used for potted plants. Unfortunately, however, it is not well suited for mulching the vegetable patch.

Chopped wood

Whether it is during the upbringing or even when cutting down entire trees - wood is produced in almost every large garden. But instead of just throwing away the clippings, you can also use them sensibly: shredded with a chopper, you get a great mulch material. The advantages are obvious here, because wood chips are cheap, quickly available and (at least if they come from your own garden) also sustainable. At the same time, wood chips rot much more slowly than bark mulch, so that the mulch layer does not have to be renewed as often. In addition, as mulch, wood chippings reliably suppress weeds and prevent both silting up and drying out of the soil. Unfortunately, however, the wood chippings remove nitrogen from the soil, which is why they are less suitable for mulching the vegetable patch. For the mulching of perennial beds, however, wood chippings are suitable if you take care to compensate for the nitrogen deprivation by the wood chippings through fertilization. However, wood chips are particularly popular in Gardens with children - Applied in a lush layer, they serve as a shock-absorbing surface on playgrounds or walkways, which can minimize injuries.

Leaves for mulching

For many gardeners, the fallen leaves in autumn just cause chores, in doing so can Autumn leaves can also be used sensibly in the garden will. Indeed, skill can be used to turn adversity into a virtue. Foliage can be used wonderfully as mulch and does not cost a cent. A layer of leaves protects the soil from drying out and also acts as a weed protection. Over the winter, the foliage is then slowly decomposed by microorganisms, releasing nutrients to the soil. However, the protective effect of leaves against frost is particularly good, which is especially important in autumn and winter - Especially for mulching the perennial bed, foliage is therefore predestined as it is reliable for plants that are sensitive to the cold protects. Leaves can also be used to mulch the vegetable patch, especially forest plants like that raspberry (Rubus idaeus) or strawberry (Fragaria) react positively to the leaf protection in the root area. Only the appearance of the leaves in the bed may disturb some garden owners and therefore represent a disadvantage. You should only use healthy leaves for mulching, otherwise diseases like mildew can spread in the garden.

Finally, the type of foliage chosen must also be carefully observed - some foliage leaves, for example from the walnut tree (Juglans regia), contain tannins, which can limit the growth of other plants.

Needle for mulching

A conifer in the garden can be an asset - if only it weren't for that annoying needle litter that accrues year after year. But like leaves, the needles of almost all conifers can also be used excellently as mulch material. On the one hand, they prevent strong temperature fluctuations on the ground and reduce soil compaction, they On the other hand, like many other types of mulch, they also allow better water infiltration. The needle litter has a very long rotting, so it does not need to be replaced as often. The terpenes contained in the needles delay the germination of other plants, so that weeds are effectively suppressed - however you should not use needle litter to mulch seedlings or young plants, as this effect also has a negative effect on them can. Established plants, on the other hand, are not negatively affected. It should also be noted that the needles have a low pH value. This makes needle litter particularly suitable for mulching bog beds or heather and is very popular with rhododendrons and hydrangeas.

Contrary to popular belief, the needles of trees are also suitable for mulching vegetable beds: in fact, the ideal pH value for most vegetable plants is in weakly acidic area, so that mulching with fir or pine needles is not a problem if the soil does not have a pH value that is too low beforehand Has. blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) and Cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) even prefer acidic soils, so a layer of mulch with needles is an excellent choice.

Straw for mulching

Mulching with straw is a tradition in many gardens - no wonder, after all, straw is not only cheap and readily available, but also offers numerous advantages as a mulch material. Straw enables the soil to be well ventilated, suppresses weeds and releases nutrients to the soil when it is weathered. Straw is particularly popular when mulching vegetable patches, as plants such as strawberries and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo var. giromontiina) do not lie directly on the ground and thus stay nice and clean. Straw is particularly useful for mulching plants with a long growing season - such as tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) or pumpkin (Cucurbita) - can be used as this rots very slowly. Perennial shrubs also benefit from this, which is why straw is also suitable for perennial bed mulching.

However, straw also removes nitrogen from the soil, which is why it is important to ensure that the soil is supplied with sufficient nutrients. In addition, you should be careful in the kitchen garden to only use untreated straw for mulching, as the treated straw may contain residues of the chemicals used.

Lawn clippings for mulching

Regardless of whether it is a small garden or a large property - lawn clippings occur in almost every garden. If you have enough of simply throwing away the mown green, you can still give the lawn a second life help: As a mulch, it prevents drying out and silting up, promotes the life of the soil and inhibits it Weed growth. The particular advantage of cutting grass lies in its quick availability and slow rotting. Nevertheless, there are a few points to pay attention to when mulching with lawn clippings. So you should always only apply a thin layer of mulch and make sure that it is not too damp, otherwise it can rot quickly. If you mix some straw between the grass clippings, you can minimize this risk through better ventilation of the mulch layer. Grass clippings also remove nitrogen from the soil during rotting, so that a sufficient supply of nutrients is essential. The lawn cut is particularly suitable for mulching the vegetable patch - between young vegetable plants this forms a stable mulch cover over time, which keeps the moisture in the soil.

Expert tip: Also for Mulching lawns the cut is ideally suited: so-called mulching mowers shred the grass clippings directly when mowing and then leave it as fine mulch on the lawn, where it rots and its nutrients to the soil returns.