There are a variety of materials that can be used for mulching. However, wood chips and bark are the ones that, in addition to their actual advantages, also give the beds a neat look. But if that's not the only good thing about a layer of mulch, what else does it have to offer? And how do you properly spread sawdust and bark mulch in winter?
The benefits of mulch in January and February
Mulch not only brings numerous benefits during the warm season, but should also not be missing in winter. This gardening is useful for:
- perennial plants that need additional protection
- Rosen
- Shrubs
- Ornamental grasses
- young trees
- newly planted garden plants
- Vegetable beds that are planted in spring
- Potted plants that can overwinter outside but need winter protection
You and your plants will benefit from this:
Sawdust and bark mulch in winter to protect the soil from frost
Mulch is a wonderful insulation between the relatively warm ground and the cold, frosty air above. So if you apply it (preferably before it freezes), you can retain heat in the soil for a longer period of time and delay ground frost. What you should know:
- Sawdust or bark mulch?
The material is actually irrelevant for frost protection. It is important that chips, for example, are applied thicker because they are not as coarse as bark. In general, chips decompose more quickly for this reason, but since the process slows down significantly during the winter, the mulch layer will serve its purpose until spring in both cases.
More about using wood chips in the gardenfind out here.
- Mulch especially young plants
Even if plants are considered hardy, it is an advantage to provide additional protection for young and newly planted ones, at least in the first winter. Their roots are not yet as robust against frost.
- Heat is generated when it decomposes
Even if the decomposition process is not as pronounced due to the cold as in the warmer months, it is still present. When rotting, chemical processes produce heat that is released into the soil. Of course, the roots and the plant in general also benefit from this.
- The problem with irrigation
Even as a novice gardener, you quickly learn that winter watering is a tricky business (especially for potted plants, but not only). There should be neither too much nor too little and now there is also the frost season when you should keep your hands off the watering can. This can cause the plant to dry out during particularly long cold periods. Added to this are the stronger winds, which also contribute to this. But bark mulch and wood chips can also protect against this because they slow down evaporation, meaning the soil stays moist for longer, but not too wet.
- Large temperature fluctuations are prevented
You've probably noticed in recent years how changeable the temperatures have become in winter. Today it feels like spring weather, tomorrow there will be a sudden onset of winter with frost. Some plants cannot tolerate such a change in temperature. Mulched root balls are protected from this. You can also extend the whole thing to the above-ground parts of the plant by wrapping plant fleece around them.
Mulch protects against weeds during the warm season.
A good organic source of nutrients
We have already mentioned that the material gradually decomposes. Of course, this also releases a lot of nutrients that get into the soil and then to your plant. The soil quality is improved, which is particularly beneficial for your plants in spring when the dormant phase ends and the growth phase begins.
A notice:You can therefore also spread mulch on empty beds that you will replant in spring.Combined with compostYour plants will receive a location that will give them everything they need for a perfect start to the new season.
How to properly spread sawdust and bark mulch in winter
If you didn't think of it at the beginning of winter, you can still spread shavings and other mulch now in January or even February. This prevents the soil from cooling down further. Here's how to do it correctly:
- One or two frost periods of minus 1 to minus 2 degrees should have already occurred, as this ensures that the plant has actually gone into hibernation. Otherwise it could get too warm and it will falsely sprout. This will inevitably lead to damage. Pest infestation and rot are also promoted by mulching too early.
- The mulching material is simply distributed around the trunk. The entire radius of the root ball should be covered.
- A distance (10 to 15 cm for trees; 3 to 5 cm for shrubs and other plants) to the trunk/main shoot is very important. If the material is too close to the trunk, it can damage the bark as moisture is trapped.
- The mulch layer should be about 5 to 10 cm thick, no more, as this promotes moisture build-up and, as a result, mold and rot.
Why you should first remove winter mulch in spring
As mentioned earlier, the mulch layer acts as insulation to keep the soil warm. But of course that also means the other way around: When it gets warmer in spring and the mulch is not removed, it prevents the sun from reaching the ground. So this time the layer keeps the cold in the ground and you don't want that. The warmer soil stimulates new growth. Therefore, remove the bark mulch or sawdust first. Once the floor has warmed up sufficiently, you can apply a new layer.
