Mulch is just a fancy word for organic matter that provides a covering and protective layer on top of soil. Mulch is designed to give back to your soil by feeding it with essential nutrients. It can help prevent your soil from drying out, as well as stunt the growth of weeds and keep it from being harmed by extreme weather.

Almost any type of organic substance can be used as mulch provided it is not fresh. For example, dead leaves work better than fresh leaves. The best quality compost for mulch needs to be rotted or if not, then well on its way to rotting.

One of the best choices for mulch is animal manure. It is abundant in nitrogen and will encourage growth. Well-rotted manure is best as it is very plant-friendly. If you put fresh manure on your soil, it can burn plants as it gives off heat. Any type of animal manure is fine, but cow and horse manure are two of the best choices and most likely the simplest to obtain.

You might want to mix animal manure with wood shavings or straw to make it lighter and easier to spread. If you choose to use organic matter such as straw, wood or sawdust, then compost those first before you combine them with the manure.

Rotted leaves are a good option for mulch, however they are not that rich in nitrogen until they really get the chance to rot. This can take as long as three years to happen. What you can do is rake up the leaves that have fallen onto your lawn and then place then in recycled bags, a holding pen that is constructed from wire mesh, or a plastic compost bin with no lid.

You will know once the rotted leaves are ready to use as mulch because they will disintegrate and take on the appearance and consistency of soil. In other words, they will no longer resemble leaves anymore. In some cases they may end up looking like flaky pieces of soil.

Another option, if it is available to you, is mushroom compost. If you know of a mushroom farm nearby, then you might be able to get a hold of some mushrooms that are rotting and would work well as mulch material.

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