Mulching

Mulching or garden mulch, or mulching in agriculture is the process or practice of covering the soil/ground to make favorable conditions for plant growth, development, and efficient crop production. 

It is a technical term that means ‘Covering of Soil’. While natural mulches such as leaf, straw, dead leaves, and compost have been used for centuries, during the last 60 years the advent of synthetic materials has altered the methods and benefits of mulching. It prevents direct evaporation of moisture from the soil and thus limits water losses and soil erosion over the surface. It plays a positive role in water conservation. The suppression of evaporation also has a supplementary effect; it prevents the rise of water containing salt, which is important in countries with high salt content water resources.