Properly mulching your plants will:

• reduce evaporation
• moderate soil temperatures
• help control weeds
• eliminate soil crusting, allowing water, air and nutrients to penetrate better
• slow erosion
• keep plants cleaner

Organic mulches will:

• break down over time and provide nutients to the soil
• keep soil temperatues cooler
• can build soil and add nutrients during mulch decomposition
• can increase the population of certain insects, such as sowbugs

Organic Mulches	Appropriate Uses	Pros and Cons
Shredded Leaves	4" layer in beds	Easily blown or washed away. Seedlings can penetrate thin layers.
Straw	Raspberry beds (2-4" layer) Winter mulch (keeps root area cooler so fruit trees stay dormant longer, reducing risk of blossum freeze) Vegetable beds	Often contains lots of weed seeds.
Compost and Composted cotton burrs	4" layer in flower and vegetable beds.	Builds soil; adds many nutrients. Thin layers will allow seed germination. Can be blown away.
Pecan Shells	Around bushes and trees. In flower and vegetable gardens (2-4" layer).	Takes several years to break down. Attractive. Can allow seedling emergence if thin layer is used.
Bark Chips	Around bushes and trees. Some perennial flower beds (2-4" layer).	Won't allow seedling emergence. Not easily blown away, but will float and can be washed away.
Shredded Bark	In flower and vegetable gardens (2-4" layer).	Thin layers allow seedling emergence. Doesn't smother bulbs.
Grass Clippings	4-6" layer in flower and vegetable beds.	Substantial source of nitrogen. Introduces weed seeds Wind can blow away.
Manure	4" layer in flower and vegetable beds.	Builds soil; adds many nutrients. If not well aged, will burn plant roots and may have high salt content. Can contain weed seeds. Can allow seedling emergence if thin layer is used.
Newspaper (black print only; colored inks contain poisonous heavy metals)	Anywhere you can lay sheets down around plants, overlapping edges.	Takes several years to break down. Unattractive; should be covered with dirt or mulch to hold in place. Does not allow seedling emergence.

*This information is adapted from a flyer produced and distributed by
The Santa Fe City-County Water Conservation Committee and Sangre de Cristo Water