Virtually all plants in nature are growing with a mulch on top of the soil.  This mulch is an important, biologically active layer that helps keep the plants healthy.  Mulching the home garden is an excellent way to keep produce clean, control weeds, keep the soil surface open to air and water, reduce evaporation and provide the organic matter needed for the biologically active layer above the feeder roots of the plant.

The objectives of this lab activity are to learn to apply various types of mulches to garden plants and to observe the benefits of these mulches.

• Mulch the vegetable, flower and herb gardens with different types of mulches.

• Observe the characteristics of the soil under mulch vs. soil that was not mulched.