mulch

American  

[muhlch] / mʌltʃ /

noun

1. a covering, as of straw, compost, or plastic sheeting, spread on the ground around plants to prevent excessive evaporation or erosion, enrich the soil, inhibit weed growth, etc.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with mulch.

mulch British  

/ mʌltʃ /

noun

1. half-rotten vegetable matter, peat, etc, used to prevent soil erosion or enrich the soil

---

verb

1. (tr) to cover (the surface of land) with mulch

Other Word Forms

• nonmulched adjective

Etymology

Origin of mulch

1650–60; noun use of obsolete mulch (adj.), Middle English molsh soft, Old English myl ( i ) sc mellow; cognate with dialectal German molsch soft, overripe

Example Sentences

That means ensuring they are well watered, properly mulched, kept safe from harm from construction projects or digging, and are treated for potential pest infestations, says Brunner.

From The Wall Street Journal

Roses and bird droppings covered the floor, and they could see the imprints of hooves where they had crushed the flowers to mulch.

From Literature

I think about the dense woods cocooning the property, with the meandering, secret paths we made ourselves with wheelbarrows full of mulch.

From Literature

Alternatively, some charities offer collection for a donation or local garden centres may chip up your old trees for mulch.

From BBC

Hoo Zoo has also put a deep bark mulch on the floor, so that she is able to scratch, dig, and explore naturally.

From BBC

Related Words

• compost
• manure