Forum home Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Talkback: How to apply mulch

I have recently moved and now have a tiny garden, but big enough for a small lawn and plant borders. There are established plants in it, but I need to dig out some rampant plants to make room for others and also feed the soil, or just improve it.

I have read things saying don't mulch in autumn as rain will wash nutrients away, and other articles saying you should mulch in autumn! Also, I am not clear - if I just add fresh compost bought from a garden centre is that enough to help soil, or do I need to mulch as well?

Any advice gratefully received, thanks!
«1

Posts

  • "Mulching" is simply placing a layer of matter on top of the soil and is done for two reasons, firstly to reduce water loss by evaporation and secondly to reduce weed seed germination.

    However, if the mulch is organic matter, a third benefit comes into play in that worms will pull the mulch down into the soil and improve its structure and fertility.  Multi-purpose compost is as good as anything else in this respect.

    You can mulch at any time you like, but if you have clay soil which you have dug over to allow the Winter frosts to help break up the clods, you would not lay a mulch over it as that would prevent the frost from doing the job.  You should also avoid mulching dry soil as it will make it harder for the rain the penetrate, so only mulch soil which is already in a normally moist condition.

    Until digested and excreted by worms, mulches add little in terms of nutrients so add fertilizers as a separate task, as and when needed.

    Hope that makes thing clearer for you, Marigold. image

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Thank you Bob, that is helpful, I think I just need multi purpose compost as you describe. 

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698

    I'm using grow-bags, seems the most economical way to go (five for £7 from B&Q)... as Bob says, the aim is that the organic matter will be worked into the soil over the winter.

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    Some garden centres and DIY stores sell off bags pf seed and planting compost cheap at the end of the season and some local councils sell community made compost from green waste collected over the year.

    In order to improve your soil, whether clay or sand or loam or chalk, you can simply spread a 2 to 3 inch layer of such organic material over all the beds once the herbaceous perennials have died down, annual plants and weeds have been removed and any bulbs planted.

    It can be done any time in autumn and early winter and preferable after the soil has had a good soaking from heavy rain but not when it is frozen.    The worms will work it in for you over winter.  Do this every year and the claggiest fo clay soils will improve without all the heavy digging and the lightest of sandy soils will improve in fertility and moisture retention. 

     

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Thank you all of you, this has been very helpful, you have given me a lot of information to go on, and I feel much more confident about what to do, but just one more thing - it seems that you just lay on the compost over damp soil you have just dug over, you don't dig the compost in - is that correct?  You can add something like chicken poo (can't remember what its called) after that and then water it in? Thank you again image

     

  • Good instructions for applying mulch, but giving '2 hours' as the time it will take is daft - surely the size of the garden is quite an important factor in how long it will take!
  • I only have pots. Should I mulch plants such as Buddleja, japanese Maple, 4yr old honeysuckle, hydrangeas, and 2 small roses? They are in a small courtyard, but I want to give them a good chance of surviving another winter.We already have had gales,hailstorms and heavy rain . I live near the Promenade,in Morecambe.Joss
  • Excellent explanation Bob.
  • If you ask at your local homebase garden centre you can get some spent compost for nothing. It won't have any goodness in it as it's the old compost from plants that have been thrown away & may have some roots in. It's fine as a soil conditioner but won't feed the soil as a manure or even multi purpose compost would. Also if you buy old bags of compost specially if they're split alot of the nutrients in the soil have been washed out by the rain unless kept under cover.
  • I would be grateful for any help. I built some raised beds out of bricks this year and filled them with multi purpose compost mixed with grit then planted them up. They have done really well but do I need to mulch and if yes what with?

    Thanks.
Sign In or Register to comment.