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There is a distinct difference between mulching and composting that many new to gardening are not aware of. Actually, composting is best to avoid as much as possible. Learning how to mulch properly in the Spring will greatly enhance your lawn, garden, and flower beds in the Summer.

Mulching most resembles what Mother Nature uses as a recycling system. It's an endless cycle of birth, maturity, and death. Year after year it is the dying leaves and grass that decompose and acts as a rich nutritional source for new growth. Soil organisms, mold, bacteria, and then eventually earthworms, beetles, and other insects all have a hand in recycling organic matter back into the soil.

What we actually know as topsoil is the result of this regeneration process that takes place year after year. It is this process that creates rich, dark soil that has the earthy smell that farmers and gardeners everywhere are familiar with.

It's really not that difficult to learn how to mulch. Actually, the most basic way to mulch is to not rake or bag your grass clippings. Let them lay on top of the grass and eventually the sun, rain, and insects will decompose them and return them to the soil. This mulch will also help keep the moisture in your lawn, flower beds, or garden.

Mowers with side discharge openings will work fine. Just remove the bag and let the grass clippings cover the lawn. You may have to rake a little to break up the lines of grass clippings so the grass is spread more evenly over the lawn. You can even buy "mulching" lawn mowers now and they have been gaining in popularity. These mowers have nowhere for the grass to be discharged and they have no catcher. They also have more horsepower because they have a vacuum action that will circulate the clippings so they can be cut over and over until finally air pressure forces the mulch back to the ground.

Begin the mulching process as soon as you begin to cut your lawn in early Spring. The mulching process works best with your mower if the grass is not wet or too high. As a result, you may have to mow your lawn a little more often with a mulching mower, but the time spent mowing is actually less, because you don't have bags of clippings to deal with. Also, as Spring turns into Summer the grass will begin to grow at a faster pace.

Leaves also make excellent mulch, but it's important to remember that a pile of leaves sitting in the bag yard is not mulch. It is just a pile of leaves that might take 3 years to decay. In the process that pile of leaves can begin to smell pretty bad. The proper way to mulch is to spread the leaves out over the surface of the garden or flower bed and not have them more than about six inches deep. This way they can quickly be assimilated back into the soil.

Random piles of leaves are not mulch and not even compost. Take the time to spread them out and they will quickly decompose properly. You will notice that if you leave piles of leaves in the Fall, they will not look much different the following Spring. That's mainly because piles of leaves will shed water and it's the moisture that helps them decompose. If you took that same pile of leaves that has been sitting there all Winter and spread them out over your garden and flower beds you will greatly enhance the health and vitality of your soil as Spring turns to Summer and decomposition begins.

Get rid of those piles of grass clippings and leaves and spread them evenly in thin layers over the ground in the Spring and you will be well on your way to creating a natural mulch that will encourage growth all Summer.

Learn more about this author, Ray Fauteux.
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