Mulch suppresses weeds, feeds your plants and helps eliminate the need for garden chemicals. (Getty Images)

Mulch suppresses weeds, feeds your plants and helps eliminate the need for garden chemicals. (Getty Images)

Why you should choose a nature-based approach to garden soil

Resist the urge to rake up every last leaf. Leaving them on the ground promotes healthy soil and helps prevent weeds.

  • By William McClain Special to The Herald
  • Friday, April 15, 2022 1:30am
  • Life

By William McClain / Special to The Herald

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of five articles during April, Native Plant Appreciation Month, about the importance of native plant landscaping in the Snohomish County garden.

Erosion occurs when wind and rain have access to bare soil. Unfortunately, this is precisely the situation in many of our gardens. We have been programmed to think that gardens need to look tidy, with every leaf and twig picked up off the ground, to provide a clean uniform surface.

Take a stroll through a forest, and you will see a completely different picture. The ground is covered with leaves, twigs, branches and logs, all in varying states of decomposition.

Here are 10 reasons for choosing a nature-based approach to your garden soil:

Habitat for insects: Leaf and wood mulch provides an excellent habitat for insects and other invertebrates.

Habitat for birds: Many birds rely on insects for food, and on organic material for nests. Bare soil is a desert for birds. Fill it will organic material and enjoy seeing new bird species as they pick through your treasure in search of breakfast.

Decrease soil erosion: Mulch provides a protective barrier, allowing rain to trickle down. As mulch breaks down, it will add to, and enhance your soil.

Save the salmon: Less soil erosion means less silt entering our streams. Rain that percolates through mulch provides clear run off, which is vital to salmon and other aquatic life.

Less watering: Mulch extends your watering in three ways. It acts as a sponge, soaking up water and releasing it slowly over time. It protects the soil from direct sunlight. And it acts as a barrier to evaporation, helping the soil retain moisture in dry conditions.

Protect plants from temperature extremes: Mulch insulates plants during winter freezes and shades the soil from the hot summer sun.

Reduce your carbon footprint: No need to haul away your garden debris, or to haul in replacement bark.

Weed suppression: Don’t expect to cover up a weed problem and have it disappear. But a covering of mulch greatly reduces the germination of new weeds and can reduce your time spent weeding.

Feed your plants: Mulch is nature’s way of recycling nutrients back to the soil. It’s especially helpful for rhododendrons, azaleas and other surface-feeding plants.

Eliminate the need for fertilizers and herbicides: Nature has existed for millenniums without added chemicals, and your garden can do the same.

Deciduous trees can be a valuable source of leaf mulch. Branches work well when broken into smaller sticks. If they are hard to break, they can be stored in an out-of-the-way corner until they dry out and become brittle. If you have a diseased or dead tree removed, ask the tree removal company to chip the branches and leave on site. They make wonderful mulch. Some companies save on disposal fees by having sign-up lists for extra loads of chipped branches. If you go this route, you may need to be prepared for a potentially large pile of mulch.

Ground covers play a role similar to mulch in protecting your soil and making your garden more productive. They can also add color and texture to your landscape. Low growing Oregon grape (Mahonia nervosa) is a hardy evergreen groundcover that can tolerate some drought. Bunchberry is another favorite, but requires moist soil and organic material to thrive. Kinnikinnick works well on sunny, well-drained slopes. Wood sorrel makes a lovely carpet-like ground cover with delicate white or pink flowers.

Next week’s article will explore the history that led to our current over-dependence on lawns, why you might want to consider lawn alternatives, and some practical help on how to transform your landscape.

William McClain of Lynnwood is a member of the Pilchuck Audobon Society. A native Washingtonian, he published his first novel, “The Risk in Crossing Borders,” in 2020 after retiring from a career in benefits consulting. He hopes to publish a second novel set in England during World War II in 2023. HIs interests include hiking, nature photography and playing soccer.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Everett P. Fog, 15, in front of an Everett mural along Colby Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Hello, Everett! No escape when your name is same as the town

Everett P. Fog, 15, sees and hears his first name wherever he goes. His middle name is also epic.

Jared Meads takes a breath after dunking in an ice bath in his back yard while his son Fallen, 5, reads off the water temperature on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Chill out: Dive into the cold plunge craze

Plungers say they get mental clarity and relief for ails in icy water in tubs, troughs and clubs.

Schack exhibit to highlight Camano Island watercolorists

“Four Decades of Friendship: John Ebner & John Ringen” will be on display Jan. 16 through Feb. 9.

XRT Trim Adds Rugged Features Designed For Light Off-Roading
Hyundai Introduces Smarter, More Capable Tucson Compact SUV For 2025

Innovative New Convenience And Safety Features Add Value

Sequoia photo provided by Toyota USA Newsroom
If Big Is Better, 2024 Toyota Sequoia Is Best

4WD Pro Hybrid With 3-Rows Elevates Full-Size

2025 Toyota Land Cruiser (Provided by Toyota).
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser revives its roots

After a 3-year hiatus, the go-anywhere SUV returns with a more adventurous vibe.

Enjoy the wilderness in the CX-50. Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda CX-50 Adds Hybrid Capability to Turbo Options

Line-Up Receives More Robust List Of Standard Equipment

Practical And Functional bZ4X basks in sunshine. Photo provided by Toyota Newsroom.
2024 bZ4X Puts Toyota Twist On All-Electric SUV’s

Modern Styling, Tech & All-Wheel Drive Highlight

Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus Hatch Delivers Value

Plus Functionality of AWD And G-Vectoring

2025 Mazda CX-90 Turbo SUV (Provided by Mazda)
2025 CX-90 Turbo models get Mazda’s most powerful engine

Mazda’s largest-ever SUV is equipped to handle the weight, with fuel efficiency kept in check.

Provided by Bridges Pets, Gifts, & Water Gardens.
Discover where to find the best pet supplies in town

Need the perfect store to spoil your furry friends? Herald readers have you covered.

VW Jetta SEL is a sedan that passes for a coupe. Photo provided by Volkswagen U.S. Media.
2025 VW Jetta Offers Greater Refinement, Technology And Value

A Perfect Choice For Small Families And Commuters

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.