Mulching benefits, organic mulch straw, plastic mulch, moisture weed control.
What are the benefits of mulching and which mulch should I use?
IImran Shaikh9mo ago · 251 views
3 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓9mo ago
Mulching means covering the soil around plants to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and add organic matter as it breaks down. Organic mulches like paddy straw, sugarcane trash, dry leaves, and crop residue are cheap, improve soil and microbial life, and suit most field and vegetable crops; spread a layer several cm thick, keeping it slightly away from the stem. Plastic mulch (often silver-black) gives strong weed control and water saving for vegetables and is common with drip, but has disposal cost and concerns. For most farmers improving soil, organic mulch is the better long-term choice. In dry regions mulching can sharply cut irrigation need.
LLalitha Mohan8mo ago
Keep the mulch a little away from the stem. I once piled straw right against my tomato stems and the base stayed wet and rotted. A small gap around the collar fixed it.
PPankaj Rawat7mo ago
Organic straw mulch slashed my irrigations in the dry months and slowly fed the soil as it broke down. Plastic mulch saved even more water for my early vegetables, but I had the disposal headache at the end, so for long-term soil I prefer straw.