Mulch, Grasscycling, and Compost
Mulch, compost, and grasscycling are all landscaping practices that return plant
material to the soil. These practices are good for the soil, good for your
plants, and good for our environment. These practices are incorporated in the following
River-Friendly Landscaping principles:
For more in-depth coverage of mulch and grasscycling, download our
Mulching & Grasscycling Guide.
Mulch is any material spread evenly over the surface of the soil. By covering
the soil, mulch conserves water, prevents soil erosion, cools the soil, and
suppresses weeds. In addition, organic mulch adds nutrients to the soil,
nurtures beneficial soil organisms, and reduces soil compaction.
Many materials can be used as mulch, for example:
- Fallen leaves from your trees (keep away from storm drains)
- Chipped/shredded tree and shrub trimmings
-
SMUD and many local tree-trimming companies offer shredded green waste
for free
- Compost
- Straw
- Newspaper
- Grass clipping
- Landscape and home improvement stores carry a variety of bagged
materials, such as bark and wood shavings
- Landscape material companies offer compost and bark in bulk
- Inorganic mulches include landscape fabric, rocks, and gravel
Compost is decomposed organic material. It is something that happens
naturally on the forest floor.
Composting is the controlled
decomposition of organic material. It
turns plant debris into a beneficial soil
amendment. On-site composting reduces pollution associated with transporting
waste.
Used in the landscape, compost improves soil texture and returns valuable
nutrients to the soil, maintaining plant health, and reducing the need for
chemicals.
There are many good books available on composting (check with your local
library). You can also download a
Bay-Friendly
Landscaping pamphlet to get you started. Or go to
www.sacgreenteam.com or call (916)
875-7165 for a copy of the Backyard Composting Guide.
Grasscycling means leaving the clippings
on the lawn after mowing. The clippings decompose and return their nutrients
into the soil, making for a healthier lawn and reducing the need for chemical
fertilizers. In addition, leaving clippings on the lawn reduces the amount of green waste
and needs to be transported and disposed.
Here's how:
- For best results, mow dry grass frequently
- Leave the clippings on the lawn after mowing, except during the limited
time of the year when the grass is too wet or too long
- Installing a mulching blade on your lawn-mower will result in finer
materials
- Though not necessary, you can replace the standard blade on your lawn
mower with a mulching blade which will cut clippings into smaller pieces
that break down more readily.
Read more about grasscycling in our
Mulching & Grasscycling Guide.
