What is Mulch:
Mulch can be organic (Wood Mulch, straw etc) or inorganic (Gravel and pebbles etc)
Inorganic Mulch types include: Gravel, Pebbles, recycled aggregate.Organic Mulch types include: Pine Chip, Pine Bark, Forest/ Leaf litter, Straw, lucerne,Inorganic Mulch
Inorganic mulches are generally used for decoration. They allow good access around a garden bed through the plants. They provide very little or no nutrients to the plants but will not break down therefore won't require continual topping up compared to the organic mulch selections. They will need to be raked to remove leaves regularly to keep the gravel looking at its best, as gravel / pebbles can quickly look drab when untidy. Some gravels such as blue metals/ crusher dusts can be good mulches around alkaline soil loving plants because they are alkaline rocks and will slowly leach this into the soil.
Organic Mulch
Organic mulch is organic material such as leaves, twigs bark, straw etc and can be partially broken down and has many benefits for your garden. It is spread in a layer on top of your garden bed to provide the following benefits:
Maintain even soil temperaturesReduce evaporation (saving you water)Slows down weed growthReduces soil compactionIncrease soil microbial activityProvides a slow release source of nutrients (less chemical fertilisers)How to use mulch
Garden Beds
Clear weeds and debris from the garden bed. Turn the soil and break up packed surfaces. Drench the soil around the plant, rather than regular wide spread spraying as it encourages root growth and healthier plants. Sprinkle some compost around the plant. Apply mulch up to 75mm thick. Take care to not place mulch up against the trunk or stem of the plant, or it may cause disease such as trunk / root rot in the plant.
Sheet Mulching
This method prepares an area for planting without digging. You will need to cover the area with thick newspaper for a week or two. The paper will need to be held in place with bricks / rocks etc. After two weeks remove the cover and the dead weeds. Dig some over sized holes for the plants being installed and plant them into a thick pocket of compost. Add a thick 75mm layer of mulch to the entire area. No Chemicals, fertilisers or other pollutants are needed as the compost with help the plants until the mulch starts to break down and feed the soil. Mulch can also be placed over the paper and just left in place in place as it all breaks down anyway. Water should be done to drench the soil around the plant, rather than regular wide spread spraying as it encourages root growth and healthier plants.
What type of mulch should use?
Different types of mulch have different effects on your garden.
Wood Chip/ Pine Chip Mulch
Chips of wood from branches mulched through a chipper generally a light brown coloured mulch. It is slow to break down and requires soil conditioners and compost to be added to the soil before hand as there are limited nutrient benefits initially from the mulch. It will eventually provide some nutrients when it begins to the break down. This mulch helps create a neat and tidy garden. It needs to be renewed every two years.
Pine Bark Mulch
Chips of tree bark usually pine trees mulched through a chipper generally a dark brown coloured mulch. It is slow to break down and requires soil conditioners and compost to be added to the soil beforehand as there are limited nutrient benefits initially from the mulch. It will eventually provide some nutrients when it begins to the break down. This mulch helps create a neat and tidy garden. It needs to be renewed every two years.
Forest mulch / Leaf Litter Mulch
This mulch is usually a mix of the above two including leaves. It is basically the whole tree mulched and is generally a mid to dark brown coloured mulch. It is generally quicker to break down and requires soil conditioners and compost to be added to the soil beforehand as there are limited nutrient benefits initially from the mulch. It will eventually provide some nutrients when it begins to the break down. This mulch helps create a neat and tidy garden. It needs to be renewed every year or two but is usually less than half the price of the first two. It is a good mulch in native gardens.
Hay, Straw and lucerne Mulch
These are generally bought in bales and are quite high in nutrients, they will need to be replaced every three to six months. It helps repel slips and snails are great for use in vegetable gardens.
For more helpful landscape ideas and information please visit http://www.allthingslandscape.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment