Benefits of Mulching the Soil

Mulching is the practice of covering and safeguarding the soil to improve soil condition which gives lot of benefits for crops and farmers in agriculture.

1. Stops the sun drying out the soil
2. Maintains the moisture in the soil and hence reduce the need to irrigate
3. Improves as well as protects the soil
4. Fertilizes the soil
5. Reduces the need to dig and plough
6. Is beneficial for later crops in rotation
7. Prevents soil compaction
8. Saves time in digging, weeding
9. Feeds and protects the organisms in the soil
10. Inhibits the germination of weed seeds
11. Helps earthworms, which aerate the soil leaving fertilizer in the form of worm castings
12. Helps to prevent spread of pests and diseases. If water splash on the soil, it carry naturally occurring diseases in soil onto the underside of the leaves
13. Make use of waste resources such as leaves, uprooted weeds
14. Keep balanced temperature in the soil, which is good for roots