I-Mulch - Ukutlhogeka Kwehlabathi

Ukusetjenziswa kwe-mulch emasimini nanyana emaplasini kungaletha inzuzo epilweni yehlabathi kanye nentjalo. Ihlabathi efakwe i-mulch ayinakhula elinengi kunehlabathi enganayo begodu iintjalo zikhula ngcono.

©Marinda Louw

Yini I-Mulch?

I-mulch yimetheriyli ebekwa phezu kwehlabathi, iyingubo yehlabathi.Kungaba metheriyali owenziwe ngamakhamikhali nanyana ongakenziwa ngamakhemikhali. Iimbonelo zayo yikhompowusti, amakari, iinsalela zemithi esikiweko, iinkuni nanyana iingodo, amambapiri amadala nanyana iintjalo ezisongwe zabaspara. I-mulch eyenziwe ngamakhemikhali kubalwa hlangana nayo amatjhila, amatjhwaratjhwara, kanye namatayera enziwe ngabutjha.

Inzuzo Elethwa yi-Mulch

©Abhay Iari

I-mulch iphungula ukuphela kwamanzi ehlabathini, ikhandela ukurhurhuleka kwehlabathi begodu yenza bona ikhula lingamili lula.Inzuzo elethwa yi-mulch eyenziwe ngaphandle kwamakhemikhali kukobana iyabola begodu iletha umthombo wezakhimzimba ehlabathini, ekunikeza iintjalo izakhimzimba.

I-mulch eyenziwe ngamakhemikhali efana netjhwaratjhwara zivamise kobana zisetjenziswe eentjalweni ezithanda umtjhiso ezifana namatamati kanye ne-eggplant ngebanga lokobana zisetjenziselwa ukuvimba iintjalo ezirangako ezifana namastrubheri kanye nama-cucumber ekobaneni zingaboli, begodu kwenza bona zihlale zihlwengekile. I-mulch eyenziwe ngamakhemikhali ayivundisi ihlabathi, iphungula i-oxygen, ikhuphule amazinga womtjhiso ehlabathini ekurholela ekutheni kufe amagciwani ehlabathini. 

Kufanele kutjhejwe bona kuzoba budisi kobana imetheriyali yekhompowusti efana nensalela zengodo, kobana ikhiphe i-nitrogen ehlabathini ukwenzela bona imetheriyali eregileko ye-carbon ibole. Ukusetjenziswa kwensalela zotjani obuzele i-nitrogen njenge-mulch engadini begodu kuphungule imetheriyali eqinileko kuyenze bona ibe feyini.

Isetjenziswa Njani I-Mulch

©Marinda Louw

I-mulch ingathengwa kodwana iba yinengi lokha nakusetjenziswe umetheriyali ethethwe engadini nanyana eplasini. Lapha kusetjenziswa iinsalela zentjalo ezisikwe engadini, amakari kanye nensalela zenkuni ezisarhiweko.

Kokuthoma, susa ikhula unisele kuhle ihlabathi. Faka i-2.5 cm ukuya ku-15 cm okuzokuya ngokobana imetheriyali idege kangangani. I-mulch efeyini kufanele irhatjhwe itjhingele nge-5 cm ehlabathini, lokha imetheriyali eqinileko efana ne-bark ingafakwa itjhingele nge-10 cm. Faka i-mulch okungasenani ku-15 cm ukusuka esiqwini kanye nesidindini sesitjalo kanye nemithi ngebanga lokobana kungabangela bona iintjalo zibole ngebanga lobuswe elingabubanga. 

Lokha nawusebenzisa i-mulch yembapiri, sebenzisa amatjhidi amane ukuya kwabunane wempampiri ezinobuswe uvale nge-mulch engakwenziwa ngamakhemikhali. I-mulch ingasetjenziselwa ukuvala iintjalo, beyitjalwe engadini. Ukwenza isibonelo, ingasikwa ifakwe ehlabathini, isebenze njengekhompowusti ehlaza ngombala, begodu isebenze njenge-mulch nanyana isongwe ibespara ukuletha i-nitrogen ezele i-mulch.

Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana