This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of mulching materials on root growth characteristics and weed occurrence of Platycodon grandiflorum transplants (3 years old) in organic farming. After transplanting, roots were mulched with one of three mulching materials (biodegradable film, sawdust, or rice husks) or a control (no mulching). The average root diameter of all mulching groups was 28.1 mm, which was 5.1 mm thicker than the no-mulching treatment. Roots with the biodegradable film treatment were the thickest at 30.9 mm. Root length was the shortest, 22.0 cm, with rice husk mulching. The number of rootlets was the highest with film mulching (36.0 rootlets/root) and the lowest with no mulching. For root fresh weight, which directly affects yield, the average of treated and untreated roots was 100 and 56 g/root, respectively. The highest fresh weight was in the biodegradable film plot (130 g/root). The mulching treatment groups showed a weed inhibition effect compared with the no-mulching treatment. The dominant weeds with the no-mulching treatment were Setaria viridis and Digitaria ciliaris, and that with the mulching treatment was Setaria viridis. Average annual weed occurrence across all treatments was 72%. Weed occurrence was the highest with the no-mulching treatment (125 weeds/m 2 ), and there were no weeds with the biodegradable film treatment.