Widley known in gardening and landscaping circle, mulch is a term used to describe anything that is used as a soil covering. It is great for retaining moisture in the soil, top weed growth, protect the roots of flowers and bushes and to give your garden a more aesthetic feel.

Mulch comes in many forms, with the most popular being:

  • Wood chip or Bark
  • Compost
  • Manure
  • Grass clippings
  • Straw
  • Shredded leaves
  • Gravel and Stone

Choosing an organic mulch material delivers the added bonus of helping to improve your soils quality and fertility and giving your flower beds a much-needed boost after long winter month. This does man that organic mulch decomposes and with therefore need to be topped up and replaced more frequently. A good rule of thumb is that the drier and woodier the much, for example bark, the longer it takes to decompose.

Another great tip is to make sure that you know where your mulch is coming from. Organic mulch such as compost or manure can contain seeds which can end up making more work for you as you start to have unwanted plants sprouting in your flowerbeds!

Compost and manure mulch does have the benefit of being able to be used anywhere, and it offers great insulation for flowers with roots that do not do well in the colder weather.

Bark mulch is best for use around trees and bushes and anywhere where you aren’t looking to do too much digging. Bark mulch also makes a wonderful pathway material if you are looking for a more natural finish to your outdoor area.

Although grass cuttings are used as a mulch, they are not as popular due to their high water content, they tend to turn slimy as they decompose and let off a strong odour, so it is best to reserve usage to areas that do not have a lot of footfall or near where you may wish to entertain guests.

Shredded leaves are natures mulch of choice and if it is good enough for Mother Nature then it is good enough for us! Earthworms loves decaying leaves so if you choose to use leaves as a mulch for your garden, you will soon see your worm content increase. Although leaves can give your garden an ‘unkept’ look, however if you use a thin layer on your vegetable gardens in autumn, it will deliver nutrients to your soil over the winter.

Gravel and stone is a great mulch when drainage is important or for flower beds that like the extra heat such as herb gardens or rain features. Stone and gravel can look luxurious and with so many different colours and sizes to choose from, it is the most diverse option for an outdoor area, but bare in mind that it an be very difficult to remove, so make sure that you take the time to choose the correct look and feel for your desired outcome.