Mulching and Mulches
Mulches are loved by gardeners to suppress weeds, save water, add fertiliser, protect roots in winter, again in summer and even facilitate drainage.
What is a mulch ?
Mulch is a material used to spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil.
There are a number of readily available Mulches
Wood chippings
Leaf Mould
Garden Compost
Well rotted manure
Mulch Mats
Straw (for Strawberries)
Seaweed
Wood chippings – better used around plants with deep roots rather than shallow roots. It makes for an excellent mulch, trapping water, suppressing weeds and regulating soil temperature. Also great for paths and in children's play areas.
Leaf mould and home made garden compost
Both can be made at home for free and you can speed the process up quite quickly by adding compost maker at very little cost.
Manure - Find a local equestrian and you have potentially got a free source or low cost manure. Often a single horse owner will advertise at the front of their property, free manure- help yourself. If it is for free, why not say thanks by paying a few pounds, gifting the chocolates you got a Christmas that aren't your favourites or a quick thank you card. Often a 'thank you' like that, means more than a fiver!
Mulch Mats- Clean, easy and efficient way of adding mulch. Simply lay the mat, cut a hole for the plant and put the mat over the top. Ideal for smaller gardens and pots.
Straw for Strawberries. Once you have planted your berries, make sure the surrounding soil is well weeded and add a layer of straw. This keeps the berries off the soil as well as the weed growth down.
Seaweed's a really great source of nutrients for the garden and if you can't find a supply of the actual weed, you can still reap the rewards by using dried and liquidised seaweeds. If you do have a source of fresh seaweed, dig it in during winter or spring.
Light coloured mulches will keep roots cooler in the sunshine and dark coloured mulches will warm roots and the soil.
Non-biodegradable mulches don't add nutrients but products like cockle shells, shingle, pebbles and gravel do hold moisture in the ground and suppress weeds whilst aesthetically looking lovely.
We do NOT recommend not using plastics in the garden as a mulch.