Creating a beautiful garden with all the right plants for your climate is a time-consuming and demanding process. Yet it's a lot of fun. So much fun in fact, that afterwards, it's tempting to sit back, relax and wait for your garden to spontaneously flourish. Well, the bad news is that while you might be lucky and your garden may take off and grow strong with little help from you, the odds are that it won't. Ultimately, it's the maintenance program that we follow after planting that ensures the success of our garden. And one absolutely vital step in this program is applying a good mulch.
Mulch does a few things in your garden. Firstly, it moderates the effects of extreme temperatures on the root systems of plants by insulating the ground from the winter cold and from the baking summer sun. Secondly, it prevents unwanted plants from self-seeding all over the place. It also saves water by preventing unwanted competition from weeds, reducing the moisture lost through evaporation, slowing water run off - which not only gives the water a better chance to soak into the soil but also prevents soil erosion. Finally, mulch keeps soil moisture where it is needed – around the roots.
If you use organic mulching products, mulch can also make an important contribution to the health of your soil. The best organic mulches are sugar cane, tea tree by-products and lucerne. All three decompose and introduce organic matter and nutrients into the soil, which in turn, feed and nurture your plants. Once organic mulches are fully decomposed, they further enhance your soil's ability to hold moisture and nutrients from any fertilisers and liquid plant tonics that you apply later (organic matter holds moisture well because of its porosity and also has an excellent ability to hold nutrients, rather than have them leach away, so the more organic matter you add to your soil, the better your soil will be at holding moisture and nutrients). Mulches also encourage the activity of earthworms and beneficial microbes in the soil by keeping both moisture levels and the soil temperature more consistent. Earthworms and beneficial microbes decompose organic matter and convert soil nutrients that may not have been available to your plants in their current form (say, as an insoluble compound), into forms that are readily available and easily assimilated into your plant.
When it comes to organic mulches, it's best to avoid materials with a low-nitrogen content, such as bark and woodchip. The microbes that decompose organic matter require nitrogen to do so and if there is insufficient in the material they consume, they take it from the soil. This process is called 'nitrogen drawdown' and it can deprive your plants of the main nutrient needed for healthy green growth.
Which mulch to use will depend on how you plan to apply it. I like to use a thick layer of tea tree mulch around permanent shrubs in established parts of the garden. It is an attractive mulch that stays where it is put and is not easily blown around the yard. The texture of tea tree mulch allows the moisture to soak in easily while the surface remains dry, an important element when it comes to preventing weeds. I generally top it up about once every 12 months to keep it working and looking good.
Sugar cane and lucerne will breakdown readily to improve your soil, which makes them the best choice for garden areas used for annual plants and vegetables. When it comes time to pull out the last season's annuals, I dig the old mulch into the soil along with some compost and manure, then apply a fresh layer ready for planting. This keeps the soil rich and crumbly – perfect for these heavy feeding plants.
Although organic mulches are particularly beneficial to the soil, mulches needn't be organic. For instance, pebbles make a great-looking, permanent mulch for potted plants, particularly succulents and grasses. Pebbles are not easily dislodged when you water and they'll prevent weed growth. Whatever mulch you choose, keep it away from the stems of your plants and don't be tempted to lay it over weed mat or plastic sheeting. This practice was once widely recommended for preventing weed growth but it does not work in the long term. Before too long, enough organic matter accumulates on top of the mat to support plenty of weed growth! And the mat also makes it nearly impossible to plant anything new into the garden or improve your soil. Don't cheat - good mulching practice is an ongoing process that you'll need to repeat seasonally, but the results will make you glad you stuck it out!
Rocky Point Sugar Cane Mulch
Rocky Point's sugar cane mulch is 100 per cent natural and is certified organic, so it's guaranteed to be free of chemical pesticides. Perfect to use around herbs and vegetables as well as the rest of the garden, it is finely chopped for easy spreading and contains no weed seeds. Each bale should cover approximately 7 square metres when spread 50-70mm thick.
Amgrow Lucerne Mulch
Lucerne is every gardener's favourite mulch because it is rich in nitrogen, which is so important for plant growth. It comes in compressed bales that are lightweight and easy to spread and is highly recommended for seedlings, roses and general soil improvement. Each 250L bale should covers 8 square metres when spread 50mm thick.
Oakland Tea Tree Mulch
Tea tree mulch is a by-product of tea tree oil production. Part of this process involves high-pressure steam treatment, which precludes the chances of this mulch containing any viable weed seeds or fungal spores. It's a good-looking and long-lasting mulch that is well suited for use around larger shrubs, trees, perennials and native gardens. NASAA certified organic. Each 160L bale should cover 6-8 square metres when spread 25mm thick.
Pebbles
Pebbles come polished or natural in a huge range of colours, shapes and grades. They add the finishing touch to feature pots and planters where their textural effects can be used to complement or contrast with surrounding decor. When potting your plants leave about 25mm to fill with pebbles.
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