Written and edited by Tammy January 4th 2023
What exactly is mulching and why is it so important?
Mulch itself is any organic material, hay, straw, leaf litter, compost, bark chips,
and act of mulching is to spread a layer of any one of them over the ground to cover your soil for a multitude of reasons.
The type of mulch that will be most suitable for you will be determined by the circumstances in which you want to use it.
For new vegetable seedlings, use something like pea straw or sugarcane. These types of products are nice and light weight, quite chopped up and chaffy making them easy to pack in and around plants that are small and fragile.
A denser product like bark chips would be ideal for around a large native garden, and for a more modern simplistic garden, you might like to use white marble chips or riverbed stones, that would stand out and contrast well against your plants making a real impact.
Stones are also great for drainage as they catch water between gaps and help to prevent excessive run off.
These are all perfectly suitable examples of mulch.
If smothering out weeds is what you want to achieve, consider laying down a thick layer of newspaper or old cardboard. Not only will it suffocate and smother the weeds, but it will break down in time adding nutrition to the soil.
Why should we mulch?
Mulching prevents moisture loss and aids in retention. It acts as an insulation keeping the moisture in your soil longer, preventing it drying out.
It's a fantastic source of nutrition for you soil critters, microbes and plants as it breaks down.
It helps to supress and keep the weeds under control.
Aesthetics- Not only is it purposeful but visually it can finish off the look of a garden design taking it from drab to fab!
Mulching can also help prevent erosion by holding down the top layer of soil so it can't be carried away in strong winds or washed away in torrential down falls.
Coincidentally my own garden has kept me busy this weekend, you guessed it...mulching!
Bragging rights.... One of my favourite fruit trees I just have to share with you is my Dwarf Mulberry (Morus Nigra). 7 years old now and over 7 foot tall, it's growing beautifully in a large terracotta pot. The fruit bearing ability of these trees is amazing, and so prolific, more often than not I have fruit on mine twice per season.
As you can see above, I've added a good generous layer of Who Flung Dung around the base of my tree and I apply a fresh dressing of it every year in early Spring.
Neutrogs' Who Flung Dung is a two in one mulch and fertiliser derived of Chicken manure and straw, making it high Nitrogen. It's Ideal for any high yielding cropping plants, fruit trees and roses.
You'll find it available through most leading major outlets.
Another great product I like to use throughout my yard each season before it warms up is Amgrow Wetta Soil (also pictured above).
It helps dry sandy soils (common here in our local area) to absorb and retain moisture and has the added bonus of being enriched with seaweed extracts.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for rates on the label, a small amount goes a long way!
Significance of Mulching
Mulching really does play a vital role in our gardens by offering the advantages of retaining moisture, suppressing weeds, regulating soil temperature, and improving soil fertility.
By adding mulching to your seasonal check list, you'll encourage healthier plants and maintain a sustainable garden.
Happy gardening!đđŞ´
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