What can I use for mulch ?

[Chocolate]

Hi thanks for helping,
Sorry I'm a bit thick,
To save me digging I have been advised to mix mulch with compost ( horse manure I think !!)  then plant straight into it.
I aim to do this, as I've never used mulch what can it be made of.
Does anybody know the mixture of the above, is it three to one like cement ! :D
Thanks allot
Faith

[Chocolate]

[Chocolate]

I have seen wood chippings to use as mulch, but having looked on the site it seems that quite allot of things can be used. Is it special ones for different plants. I've seen straw with newspaper, my heads now spinning.   :)
Surely there must be one to cover all ???
Heres hoping someone can tell me whats to do!!
Faith

[supersprout]

Hi choccy, I don't dig at all (except to harvest veg) :o - the worms do it for me he he

Mulch is any material that will cover the soil, suppress weeds and keep in moisture - from plastic (as used by lots of us to cover weedy ground), paving slabs, gravel (as used by Georgie for her pots) to coffee grounds and compost. You can mulch after the plants are established, or plant through mulch.

Several ways to skin this cat - you'll find the way you (and the plants) prefer as you go along. To start with, I'd use multipurpose compost or growbag soil, then branch out ;)

For sowing, cut a furrow for the seeds, sow as normal, and cover with multipurpose compost or growbag

For planting, dig a hole (I use a bulb planter), put in the plant and backfill with multipurpose compost or growbag

For mulching on allotments (unless you're mulching paths), you'll also want to improve the soil, using whatever organic material you have to hand - spent hops, compost, coffee grounds (good slug deterrent), leaves, newspaper, straw or leaf mould, lawn clippings, WELL ROTTED manure. Think about mulch from the worm's eye view - will they enjoy coming up to find your mulch and drag it down into the soil? So gravel and bark chips would be very low on the list :-X

Try different approaches and mulches. For sowing and planting, you could ask your nearest and dearest to put sacks of plain old multi purpose compost or grow bags around the plot, where you can reach them easily :)

For what it's worth, I'm going to 'mulch' my paths with newspaper and straw to prevent moisture loss this year. Will it work? We'll just have to Try it and See! 8) ;D

[Chocolate]

Thanks so much Supersprout
I may sound a bit dim but it all sounds so complicated.
Growbags are quite cheap just now aren't they, I think I'll try and get some in, and see how I go on.
Thanks
Faith

[supersprout]

it all sounds so complicated.
I think I'll try and get some in, and see how I go on.

Spot on choccy :D Whenever I get into a spin, I latch on to the advice given me by one of the old boys here when I got my weedy empire
Just keep putting stuff in

Yesterday I was fretting about making a new bed on undug soil for my sweetcorn seedlings, wanting them to have planting holes with nice compost in but had run out of oomph (you know how it is :P). Latching on to my neighbour's advice, I marked out lines with string, took soil samples made planting holes with a long-handled bulb planter, popped the sweetcorn seedlings straight in and watered. I'm sure they'll be happier than they were waiting yet another week in the greenhouse for the 'ideal' environment.

[Chocolate]

Hi Supersprout
See your right again, I think its all a case of do your best'est. By the look of how many folk have looked at this page we are all wandering in the dark  ::)
Thanks again
Faith

[Chocolate]

Hi Supersprout
You know how you were saying to use newspaper, at my sister's work they have to shred all the papers into very small pieces. Well if we used it mixed with the compost .......will we have to wet it first ? And will it be OK to use?   :D

[Tee Gee]

Here is a sneek preview of what I will be putting on my website soon (I'm too busy in thgarden and on the allotment to put it in now) I hope this helps;

Mulch / Mulching

There is much said of mulches so selecting the right one might be a bit daunting to some people.

Why use a mulch? 

A mulch is applied to improve the soil around plants, conserve moisture, and (dependant upon type) keep down weed growth.

It will also give some insulation to tender and/or shallow root systems, and create a habitat for various insects* and soil organisms*.

* This includes good and bad varieties!

What type should I use? 

This can depend upon whether you are influenced by organic / inorganic gardening or financial restraints.

Here are some suggestions; these are in alphabetical order and not necessarily by preference.

Organic;

Organic mulches will provide some nutrients and improve soil structure.

Chipped bark, Chopped bracken, Garden compost, Grass clippings, Green-manure, Leafmould, Manure, Spent mushroom compost*, Straw, Woodchips.

*Should not be used around ericaceous plants.

Inorganic;

Chippings (various), Gravel, Crushed glass, Crushed slate, Crushed stone, Horticultural fleece Polythene sheeting*

*Use ‘black’ to suppress weeds, ‘clear’ to warm up the ground.

Points against;

There is a greater risk of spreading pests and diseases.

Dependant on the type of mulch used, the amount of rainfall reaching the root systems can be affected.

Winter air is colder just above mulched ground than it is above bare soil.

The choice is yours!

A few simple rules when applying organic mulch around plants;

Feed plants prior to mulching.

Apply mulches 75-100mm (3”-4”) deep.

Extend the layer as far as the 'drip-line' (the whole area underneath the plant's branches)

Do not allow mulch to touch the trunks, stems or crowns of plants.

Soak the ground prior to application, particularly to dry soil in dry weather.

A thick layer of dense organic mulch can actually retard spring bulbs growth by keeping soil temperatures lower than bare soil therefore a thin layer of coarse mulch or no mulch at all tends to give better results.

[Chocolate]

Thanks so much for all of your help !!
Do these boards get wiped off after a while, as I think this one will be so helpfull to folk ??  :D
Faith

[katynewbie]

 ;)

Nope, it will not be wiped off, you just need to go into "Basics" and page back til you get to the bit you want. Alternatively, you could save it as a "Word" doc on your pc

hope this helps

[supersprout]

I would wet shredded newspaper, unless you mix it with grass cuttings when it will soak up the moisture - they make a good mix. But my compost is a disgrace, I need to go on a course :-[ :P

[Chocolate]

You make me laugh Supersprout, take a course !!
You should know everthing your a Yabb God  :D

I've not learnt how to save things to this and that only started a few months ago ???
I'm learning quick tho' ;)
See ya
Faith