What is typically used as a layer of material around the base of trees and shrubs to reduce weeds and conserve moisture?

The use of mulch around the base of trees and shrubs serves multiple beneficial purposes within landscaping and gardening. Primarily, mulch is an organic or inorganic material spread over the soil surface, and it plays a crucial role in weed suppression by blocking sunlight, which inhibits the germination of weed seeds. This helps maintain a cleaner, healthier environment for plants by reducing competition for nutrients and water.

Additionally, mulch significantly aids in moisture retention. By covering the soil, it reduces evaporation, keeping the soil consistently moist, which is vital for the roots of trees and shrubs to thrive, particularly during dry spells. Organic mulches, such as wood chips or shredded bark, not only provide these benefits but also improve soil quality as they decompose over time, adding nutrients back into the ground.

In contrast, while compost and soil amendments can enhance soil health, they do not serve the same immediate functions of weed control and moisture conservation to the same extent as mulch does. Ground cover plants, on the other hand, are living plants that may offer some similar benefits but are not typically used in the same manner as a layer of mulch, which is usually applied in discrete areas around the base of non-vegetative species to provide the desired effects. Therefore, mulch is the most