Mulch advice.

[Darwin.]

I've heard mulch mentioned a lot on here but until a week ago I hadn't a motion what it meant. Every year I spray weed killer around my beech hedge and trees, just not in the orchard. I'd rather not use it but it's a big garden so I don't have the time to constantly keep the weeds and grass pulled from around the hedge.

Can I use my fresh grass cuttings as a mulch or weed suppressant around the trees and hedge?

If so is the fresh grass actually allowed to touch the bark on either or do I need to keep it away?

I've been told the rotting grass will kill my trees but it looks like that's a load if crap, is it safe to water through the dead grass or is that washing stuff down that the roots won't like?

Do I too this up regularly or just let it sit and do its job?

These are probably stupid questions but when it comes to gardening I'm kind if like a puppy, very eager but without a notion as to what's actually going on.

[zazen999]

Weedkiller round your trees and hedges?

Grass clippings won't kill your trees. Unless it's had a herbicide sprayed on the grass of course. Still better than weedkiller.

Nature gives you a hint on mulching, that's what it uses leaves to do. The wind blows them under hedges and bazinga - mulch.

[veggiechicken]

I'm puzzled Darwin Didn't you say you were an Ecology student? Yet you use weedkiller...............

[VirginVegGrower]

Don't give him a hard time. It's the chemical gods that have conditioned us
Darwin, all that grass and all those leaves demand attention. I suggest you buy a nice hoe. Build a nice wire cage next to your newly built compost bins and start using them. Bob Flowerdew is a good man to start with - he's great at pup training. Grass clippings along your hedge line. Or hoe and buy/make compost. I have chooks and can generate quick compost by regular turning of it every few days. Nettles you must have around you in fields. Also good for a rotting mulch. Even wood chips and some spring planted bulbs along your hedge line would be good. Must be tree surgeons out there somewhere. Ask for the chippings. A beech hedge looks fantastic with daffs under planted.
I learnt off the grand mistresses Zazen and TwoSheds

[Darwin.]

Weedkiller round your trees and hedges?

That's what the lad in the garden centre tells me to do to stop weeds and grass soaking up what the hedge needs to grow.

[Linzy]

my trusty gardeing book says that grass clippings made a good mulch around established plants proiding they dont touch the bark, stems as the heat of the decomposing grass can cause rots to set in. I would say go for it

[zazen999]

That's what the lad in the garden centre tells me to do to stop weeds and grass soaking up what the hedge needs to grow.

He he he. So that you keep going back for more plants when you kill the ones you have got. Kerching.

[Darwin.]

I only started studying ecology last summer and I'm doing environment science alongside it this year. That's why I don't want to use weed killer any more. I'd rather use mulch and have somewhere for bugs or insects to poke about than weed killer which leaves nowhere for anything to hang out.

I moved to the house 3 years ago, the hedge was planted two summers ago along with all the trees
I recently planted my 14 year old oak and I have two 7 year old trees down the back that I planted last year. No real leaves yet as both the oak and hedge seem to hold their leaves l winter. I'll be taking up and composting any leaves that do fall from now on though. Thanks for the advice n

[taff]

If you have a library near you, try looking for gaias garden - it's a permaculture book that'll give you more ideas


Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-scale Permaculture [Paperback]
Toby Hemenway (Author)

[zazen999]

my trusty gardeing book says that grass clippings made a good mulch around established plants proiding they dont touch the bark, stems as the heat of the decomposing grass can cause rots to set in. I would say go for it

I use grass clippings to mulch tomatoes and none have ever burnt. I think this is one of those urban myths.

[taff]

me too, the neighbours grass had to go somewhere after I foolishly asked him to keep it for me....

[rustylady]

That's what the lad in the garden centre tells me to do to stop weeds and grass soaking up what the hedge needs to grow.

That lad in the garden centre is full of ****. He just wants to sell you stuff. Look at nature - grass, hedges and trees co-exist quite happily.

[Darwin.]

I guess that's true rustylady, I often said as much myself but I keep getting told to use weed killer and then a liquid feed for everything for the whole growing season. I suppose he's not going to tell me I'm right and not to bother buying anything off him.

[zazen999]

I guess that's true rustylady, I often said as much myself but I keep getting told to use weed killer and then a liquid feed for everything for the whole growing season. I suppose he's not going to tell me I'm right and not to bother buying anything off him.

Come on - you know people in shops are there to sell you stuff!

The clue is in the name 'Salesperson'.

[rustylady]

I think, Darwin, that you'd be better staying away from that Garden Centre.

Instead of just going there, ask what you need to know on here. Then you can go to the GC with confidence and just buy what you need