Today I thought I would talk about marvellous mulch and why it is so good for your garden.
Mulch is so beneficial for your garden, and there are an abundance of reasons why, here are just a few;
- it helps keep weeds down
- it reduces oil erosion and soil compacting
- keeps root systems cool in summer and warm in winter
- helps maintain moisture
- reduces the need for sprays and fertilisers
- saves on water usage
- provides nutrients
So What Is Mulch?
Mulch is organic material that covers your soil to stop weed growth, retain nutrients and moisture in the soil and it increases biological activity, especially worms and good microbes, promoting growth and healthy gardens.
Recycled Garden Mulch
Mulch can be made from organic matter from your garden and kitchen and there are various ways to use mulch in your garden.
Leaves are a free mulch which provide fibrous organic materials to the soil.
Grass clippings contain nitrogen and potash and rot down quickly, they are a great resource for seedlings.
Seaweed is awesome because it is seed free and doesn’t transfer plant disease. It looks good and is high in minerals.
Shredded garden prunings look great around larger plants and shrubs, give it that raw organic, rustic look and feel.
Straw can be used as a mulch around veggie gardens and seedlings.
Newspaper can also be used as an alternative to bought mulch, so any extra or newspaper that cannot go into the compost is perfect to use.
Compost is an all round wonder for the garden. It decays quickly as a mulch and provides nutrients and trace elements to both plants and soil.
Wood Chips are often used as mulch in landscaping.
Ground Cover Plants such as herbs make awesome mulch for your garden and look pretty too.
It is good to offer a variety of different mulches around the garden and rotate them too, this way it helps keep the garden thriving and fresh.
There are many ways to make mulch and it doesn’t have to be hard, here are what I think to be the easiest solutions for you and your garden.
Using Garden Prunings
This is one of the easiest ways to add mulch to your garden and if you do not have a garden shredder at home you can arrange the twigs, branches (make sure they are thin) and any leafy material in a long row and use the lawn mower to shred them. Anything larger you will have borrow a garden shredder.
Using Lawn Clippings
This is a natural garden wonder, so it is best you make the most of it and not put in the green waste bin. When mowing the lawn leave the lawn clippings when you mow, this does feed the lawn and make it grow, plus it keeps it healthy. You can use the lawn clippings for mulching around annual flowers and veggie gardens. Remember not to leave the lawn clippings around the base of trees.
Using Compost
Well I am a big fan of compost for many reasons and one of the those reasons is it makes a great mulch resource around your plants and seedlings for an abundance of nutrients which helps your garden to grow and keeps it strong.
Using Bought Mulch
With so many different types of mulch available on the market to buy including, straw, hay, wood and bark chips, it can get a little bit confusing. Wood chip mulches are often used for aesthetics in the garden, garden paths or to act as a fall buffer for the kids.
Mulching is a personal choice for you and your garden needs, so try not to get overwhelmed and keep it simple.