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Mulch Film and Other Ground Cover Options: Types and Uses
A beautiful garden takes a lot of work, and weeding and watering are among the most frequent tasks. Bare soil turns to mud in the rain, dries out without it, and weeds settle even in the poorest soil. A good ground cover – from organic mulch to mulch film – solves these problems.
Types of ground cover
Ground covers fall into two broad groups: organic and inorganic.
Organic ground covers are made from biodegradable materials (grass clippings, leaves, compost, straw, sawdust, wood chips or mulch, etc.). This means they gradually work their way into the soil, so they need to be topped up. Biodegradable, compostable plastic could perhaps be seen as an intermediate category.
Inorganic ground covers do not break down by themselves in the natural environment. This group includes plastics, stones and gravel, and other non-degradable materials.
Gardeners are very fond of organic ground covers, because their decomposition products supply the soil with nutrients and provide thermal insulation, and they can also suppress the spread of weeds. Their biggest drawback is that they disappear over time, so they have to be replaced – and because they are organic, pests like to hide in them.
The advantage of inorganic ground covers is that they need less care and do not have to be replaced often. However, they only decorate the soil rather than nourishing it, and some of them are not even suitable for suppressing weeds.
Common ground cover options
Organic ground covers:
1. Leaves – collected leaves are shredded before being spread.
2. Straw – straw from the stalks of various cereals is used as cover.
3. Compost – the composted remains of all kinds of organic waste are spread on the soil.
4. Grass clippings – provide ideal nutrients for many plants.
Inorganic ground covers:
1. Stone – mostly used for decorative purposes, but usually also effective against weeds.
2. Plastic – often used in agriculture to protect more sensitive vegetables and fruit; it is also good at suppressing weeds and helps the soil retain as much moisture as possible.
3. Glass, rubber and paper – a cost-effective solution when made from household leftovers.
Mulch film: covering the soil with plastic film
One of the biggest advantages of plastic mulch film is that it raises the soil temperature, so plant roots can take up more water and nutrients and grow faster. The film is usually black, because black absorbs sunlight and transfers the heat to the soil. Black film also inhibits weed growth: without light, weeds soon die. In vegetable gardens and orchards, holes are cut into the film and seedlings are planted in them.
As a bag and film manufacturer, our company has been committed to environmental responsibility from the very beginning and believes in a sustainable future. We were among the first in Hungary to switch part of our product range to biodegradable raw materials.
We have no production waste, because we recycle all of it. 65% of the raw materials we use are recycled.