Proven mulch material - an overview
In the near-natural hobby garden, native raw materials for use as mulch material dominate. The sterile, black film from the commercial cultivation of strawberries is rarely used. This is hardly surprising, because there is a wealth of options to choose from in harmony with nature. The following overview presents the most common natural substances:
- Straw: the most commonly used mulch material in strawberry cultivation keeps the soil moist longer and the fruit clean
- Sawdust: a practical alternative to straw with similar advantages
- Wood wool: is preferably used in Flower box and other planters to cover the substrate
- Expanded clay:(€ 16.35 at Amazon *) the reusable mulch material in tubs and planters
- Bark mulch: regulates the soil climate and ensures clean strawberries
also read
- Preserve strawberries perfectly - from the bed straight into the glass
- Careful gardeners cover strawberries - this is how it works
- How do strawberries benefit from bark mulch?
Wherever there is plenty of pruning in the garden, the clippings are shredded in the shredder and used to cover beds under strawberry plants. Leaves and pine needles also meet the requirements for suitable mulch material. The use of damp lawn clippings, on the other hand, is not recommended because it promotes the spread of diseases.
The right mulching technique
With regard to the optimal time for the distribution of the mulch material, there is still a controversial discussion among hobby gardeners. Immediately after plants the first layer of the ground cover can definitely be applied. After flowering at the latest, it is high time to use straw or bark mulch. This is how you do it:
- Strictly control the mulch material for contamination by unwanted weeds
- Weed in the strawberry patch without raking deep
- Distribute straw, bark mulch or other materials evenly by hand
- the mulch layer should not be higher than 3-5 centimeters
In autumn or spring, the used top layer is worked into the soil to make room for fresh mulch material.
Tips & Tricks
Mulch material from wood chips tends to draw nutrients out of the soil. Where the advantages of bark mulch or sawdust are used in the strawberry patch, the material should be included Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) be enriched. Before mulching, bring the organic fertilizer in a dosage of 40-60 grams per square meter.