Why A Garden Mulch Is Better Than A Pre-Emergent Weed Killer For Preventing Winter Weeds:

As the winter in Mediterranean climates is also the rainy son, weeds can germinate and cover wr ar so rampantly, that the gardener is usually interested in prnting weeds or at lt keeping them down before they spd, dlop, and lly start to cause blems.

In large-scale situations, the fessional landscaper may resort to using pre-emergent herbics, which kill the weeds shortly after they have suted. Some ducts are available for application in the private garden, and many home gardeners are attracted by the thought of their garden being weed-free for the duration of the winter.

There are a number of excellent rons howr, why the temptation should be resisted, especially consring that an alternat in the form of onic mulch, does exist, at lt for the small scale of the private garden. Before dealing with the benefits of onic mulch, let's look at the drawbacks of applying pre-emergent weed killers.

*Pre-emergent herbics possess residual perties, meng that their poisonous ingredients are act in the topsoil for a certain period of time. The correct dosages per square meter or yard have to be strictly adhered to, in order to avoid damage to neighboring plants, and to the health of the soil itself. This entails careful calibration of the sprayer, something that is ier to do in large open spaces, but far more difficult in small spaces.

*Most ducts are in any case, entirely unsuited to private gardens, as they cannot be applied near herbaceous plants. The few that are suitable are usually available in granular form as well as liquid solutions to be sprayed. It is not y from my experience to spd accurately the granules according to the weight per a ratio specified by the manufacturer.

*Even when applied completely perly, the herbics will adversely affect the soil's fauna and flora, killing or driving out a w range of onisms that inhabit the soil and contribute to its ecological balance. This has far-ching consequences for pest and dise control, and for the desired crumbly structure of the soil. Furthermore, pestics in general, are a serious source of rr and lake pollution.

The best alternat for weed prntion is to spd some form of onic mulch, such as decorat wood chippings, on the ground and between the plants. While a mulch layer is generally ineffect against perennial weeds, by prnting germination, it is bably the best mure against annual weeds. Experience shows that the anti-germination perties of onic mulch are far superior to those of inonic materials such as pebbles or stones. In addition, as opposed to herbics, it contributes massly to the posit state of the soil; the medium in which the plants grow. These can be summarized as follows.

*Onic mulch acts as an insulating layer for the topsoil, regulating the temperature at this crucial ll. In the mild winters common to Mediterranean climates this may be less significant, but it is tremendously important in reducing the topsoil temperature during the summer, where highs of 50c are not uncommon. Many physiological cesses, such as water and mineral uptake, are srely retarded at these topsoil temperatures.

*Onic mulch slowly bks down to add rich humus to the soil, thereby imving the soil's crumbly structure (and thus its aeration), and expanding the volume and range of the soil's fauna and flora. In this regard, it also vs raw material for essential soil onisms, such as earthworms, and so can be seen not only as a weed prntion mure, but in direct distinction to pre-emergent weed killers, as a soil and environment enhancing mure as well.