Mulch is a combination of any of these types of materials:

 Straw
 Sawdust
 Leaves
 Plastic film
 Pine bark
 Other loose organic materials
 Peat moss

The way this works is these organic materials are set out to accumulate moisture. The layer of the mulch will in turn create a cover or protective layer for grass and other vegetations. It will also inhibit weeds from overtaking the good plants and grass you are trying to grow.

You can start your own mulch, simply by piling up these types of organic materials. You will want to put this pile somewhere away from the garden or grassy area. That way you will be limiting the bugs, and vermin that are attracted to the mulch.

In order for the mulch to have a good affect, you will want to throw in some of the scraps of veggies, trimming and other vegetation leftovers you have in your home or yard. You will want to avoid any dairy products, meats or weeds though. As you will find that this will not combine to create healthy mulch.

See what you will want to create is a home made product that will act like the leave covering in the forests that help the trees and other vegetation grow.

Compost

Using compost is a natural, and very inexpensive fertilizer. It loosens the soil, makes room for moisture, and protects from insects. So how do you make your own compost?

Well compost is carbon rich material, nitrogen rich materials, and basically greens, leaves, trimmings, manure etc. You can do with these materials the same that you did with the mulching. However, it is a good idea to set this into a bin or marked off area.

Both compost and mulch work in similar ways. The key is that you use these fertilizers in ways that will help your vegetation grow. Here are some tips that will help your fertilizer work for you.

It is best to lay fertilizer in the early spring or late winter. Also, it is better to lay it in the cooler part of the daytime. This way the sun will not heat the mulch or compost. The heated compost and mulch can burn your grass. Remember that they still have a chemical reaction, regardless of how natural the mixture is.

The keys to compost are that you will be using the combination of nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and air. These things mix to make the just right combination of mulch or compost and in return create great fertilizer for healthy vegetation.

Making your own mulch and compost is not only the healthier way to fertilizing your yard and vegetation, but will also cost you much less money. This will in turn leave you with more money to spend on the rest of your yard and garden.

One final tip to consider when you are working on your mulch or compost, do not use eucalyptus or other leaves that will not mulch or decompose. They will cause more heartache than benefit.