When kids put mulch around their veggies, the mulch helps the soil hold on to its moisture and prevents weeds from growing. Mulch is a layer of chopped leaves, straw, wood chips, fresh grass clipping, pine leaves, or sawdust spread on top of the soil. Mulch keeps the soil temperature warmer at night and cooler during the day. Kids can get natural mulch that is pleasing to the eye and good for the soil. Natural mulch keeps earthworms and microorganisms in the garden happy breaking down the organic material and aerating the soil. As the mulch decomposes with the help of these soil organisms, it enriches the soil providing nutrients for the plant roots. Kids use less water for their garden as mulching keeps the water from evaporating in the sunshine. Kids can plant ground covering herbs for living mulch, like clover around tomatoes, which enriches the soil and attracts beneficial bugs. Plants in mulched soil will grow long strong roots and larger harvests. Straw mulch helps keep low hanging veggies clean and prevents fruit rot. Mulch can be placed at the ends and sides of raised beds to shelter spiders, ground beetles, and other beneficial bugs. Kids that mulch with a layer of material around their veggies will keep the weed seeds from growing in the garden soil and the blanket of mulch keeps the soil from drying out too quickly.
Cooking Magic for Kids 