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Most gardeners have used some form of mulch, but did you know that there are many options for organic mulching. Many gardeners are discovering new sources of free mulch that has been there all along. You might be surprised by how beneficial all these things can be, and how often there is an opportunity to use them.
Grass clippings can be spread across your yard. Big piles of grass just sitting in your yard might look as if you forgot to rake them up. However, if you spread them out evenly it will not look out of place. This acts as a sort of mulch by preventing evaporation and weed growth. You won't have to water as much to keep your grass green because the moisture will stay in the soil longer. You may even have to adjust your sprinkler system so that your yard does not get too much water!
Grass clippings can also be used in your garden with the same benefits. Make a small layer around the vicinity of the plant and it will help keep it greener and healthier longer. Whether you use your grass clippings for your yard or your garden will depend on what your highest mulching priority is.
An amazing amount of branches and twigs can result from our pruning activities. You can put all these branches to use by renting a wood chipper. You might be surprised at just how many branches you can end up with after a day of intense pruning. Instead of throwing these away, turn them into mulch for your plants. If your pruning does not leave you with a larger amount of clippings, you can bundle them up and add them to the next batch. Since chipping machines can be expensive to rent you want to make sure you have enough clippings to make a worth your while. You might even want to go in with a neighbor or two to make renting the chipping machine worthwhile.
Organic mulches will naturally decompose in your yard so they will need to be replenished periodically. You can usually tell if your mulch needs to be replenished just by looking at it, but sometimes it will look perfectly normal but still have problems. If you notice any poor plant growth whatsoever, you should replace your mulch. During the process of decomposition, your mulch will use up nitrogen which is important for healthy soil. There are a variety of fertilizers available that are specifically designed to deal with this problem.
Using branches and grass for organic mulch can save time by reducing the amount of garbage you have to haul around. So instead of spending your hard-earned money on mulch products try using grass and clippings to increase the healthiness and integrity of your yard and garden.
About the Author:
Jim Sloan is a garden enthusiast and more organic gardening supplies can be found at http://www.plants-trees-shrubs.com.
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Home & Garden 
Organic Mulching for Free