53
Fix it Garden covers
The magic of mulch This protective layer is a gardener’s secret weapon – plus a shortcut to tidier flower beds and vegie patches
Words Jane Wrigglesworth & Tammy Huynh. Photography (top) Gap Photos/Perry Mastrovito, (bottom) iStock.
M
ulch is one of the gardener’s most valuable tools and serves many purposes. It blocks weeds from resprouting, keeps roots cool in the heat of summer and provides a clean, organised aesthetic that makes it easier to navigate around your plants. “Mulch is a bit like a protective blanket,” says horticulturalist Chloe Thomson of @beanthere dugthat, and host of Bunnings podcast Staying Grounded. “It helps reduce evaporation, suppresses weeds and, as it breaks down, adds organic matter and nutrients to the soil,” she explains.
Inorganic mulches, such as pebbles, play both an aesthetic and a practical role in the garden
When should you mulch? Mulch at any time but, for best results, apply it at the start of the growing season, preferably when the ground is damp. “In the vegie garden, work the old mulch into the soil and then
replace with fresh organic mulch once you have planted,” says Chloe. In the rest of your garden, organic mulches should be reapplied every year to keep them at a depth of 3-4cm, while inorganic mulches, like pebbles, will only need topping up every few years. How much do I need? More mulch is not always better – if applied too thickly, it can prevent rain and irrigation reaching the plant roots. The amount needed varies based on the product, but for bark mulches, aim for around 3-4cm. “Straw can be slightly thicker – up to 7cm, as it is light and fluffy, and weeds can easily push through thin layers,” says Chloe. Grass clippings and leaf mould can gradually be built up to a 5cm layer – if you have excess, split it with the compost bin.
bunnings |
bunnings | bunnings.com.au
