Mulch is not a whim, but a practical and inexpensive, and most often free, solution for gardeners and vegetable growers.
There are dozens of materials that are used as soil surface coverings.
Each option is good in its own way. Some materials are used with caution. Others help to solve not one, but several issues.
Spruce and pine cones are also used as mulch. This is an ideal option for raspberries. Why do summer residents mulch their plantings with cones?
1. Prevents weed growth.
2. Protect against pathogens that cause diseases.
3. Retain moisture.
4. The raspberry patch looks neat.
Cones can be collected in the forest, but they cannot be used immediately. First, they are treated against insects and fungal spores are destroyed.
To do this, the forest material is laid out on a dry, level surface. 250 g of boric acid and 750 g of soda ash are dissolved in 9 liters of water.
The solution can be sprayed on the cones or simply soaked in it. But it is important to wait until it dries completely. Only then can the forest material be placed under the raspberry bushes.