A gravel mulch – no organic matter, but, does highlight these young peonies

Now is an excellent time to be adding mulches to your garden. An organic mulch has several benefits for your garden.

• Helps to insulate the soil from extremes of temperatures. E.g. helps prevent brassica roots overheating in summer soil
• Keeps in water. Make sure you mulch when soil is damp.
• Helps protect surface weeds.
• Adds organic matter to the soil, improving structure and adding mulches.
• Some mulches like well rotted manure will also act as a fertiliser.

Different Mulches for Garden

Bark Chips. These are an attractive looking mulch which can be bought and spread on the garden.

Cocoa Shell. Similar to bark chips

Peat. Not recommended. Expensive and damaging for the environment to use in large quantity as a mulch.

Well Rotted Manure. If you can get good supplies, is quite cheap. Is also excellent source of plant food.

Garden Compost. A great way to use your own well rotted compost. (don’t worry if some twigs are not fully rotted down. Saves digging in.

Grass clipings. You can use grass clippings straight from lawn mower, as long as they don’t continue weed seeds or weedkiller.

Straw. Not as attractive but might be cheap. Can contain weed seeds.

Best Mulch for Vegetable Plot.

For the vegetable plot, I like to use well rotted horse manure or well rotted garden compost. It has the added benefit of adding nutrients and minerals to the soil to help the veg which are heavy feeders.

Best Mulch for Preventing Weeds

The best mulch for preventing weeds is probably bark chips or similar material. They will not prevent deep rooted weeds coming through, but, they will reduce weed germination. See also: Tips for Weeding a garden

Best Mulch for Roses

An old neighbour in Morecambe used to only grow Roses. His rose garden was a great sight. He used to walk around picking up the fresh manure from all the local ponies. Adding fresh manure to his rose bed didn’t seem to do any harm. Though you have to be careful it doesn’t scorch the roots. It is better if you can get it well rotted.

Organic Mulches