Fastest mulch.

[Containergardener]

Sorry wasnt sure where to put this.
I get alot from leaving beech leaves in front garden ..lazy collector (40ft high old trees ) I have clay so retain more moisture anyway but would like to use mulch more.

Mum is on sandy soil and a full.50yr old garden. Very free draining so I'm thinking of using her old compost bin.
What can I do fast for winter for her?

[burnie]

What are you planning on mulching, I take it you are looking at suppressing weeds at your mums, do you want to help break up your heavy clay?

[Containergardener]

What are you planning on mulching, I take it you are looking at suppressing weeds at your mums, do you want to help break up your heavy clay?

More to give her soil a bit of something. She never adds anything now since dad got ill and went into care.
its crammed full but lovely.
She has lots of clematis so.i thought them and generally all around with some compost . Not much room for weeds tbh. It's a big garden she manages herself at almost 80.

I'd like to suppress weeds but not fussed. As for clay , still.not there after 15yrs . Clematis and Rose's really.

[burnie]

I'm no flower expert but I believe Clematis like their roots cooler/in the shade, have a read of this and remember that some really fresh material like shredded bark/twigs can actually remove some nutrients whilst it decomposes.https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/popula.../growing-guide

[Containergardener]

Under ongoing care and feeding it mentions mulching .

[ESBkevin]

A lot of the green bin collections gets taken and fast heated/chopped to make soil improver or compost. It's often a bit hot at first but left over months can become lovely compost.
If you can find the company that do this for your local council, you can buy bulk bags and just spread that all around about 1-3" deep (more is better). If you are lucky the council have a low cost scheme, ours even give some away one day a year in May.
It will break down over winter and the worms will start to pull it down. For your clay, it will give you good top soil and over a few years that rich top layer gets thicker. Indeed anything like grass clippings etc, will all help.
One small word of caution, the 'soil improver' will contain some plastic rubbish much like many commercially bought product these days.
Your soil will be lovely, the weeds hardly bother you and the clay will be a distant memory, I sometimes turn some clay up if I dig more that a spade spit deep to plant something, otherwise it's all good.

[ameno]

You could check Facebook marketplace and other freebie sites for places near you giving away manure.