Mulching fruit beds in this cold weather

[redser]

Hi - I'm sure I had read a while back to wait till the soil temperature rises before mulching it. But I wonder if it's ok to do it now as it is nearly April and I can see plenty of growth and budding happening. I have horse manure and want to mulch the fruit bushes.
Thanks!

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've given my fruit bushes top dressing of manure in the dead of winter before, when the ground was frozen, and I don't think it did them any harm. The manure wasn't very well rotted, and I thought that a bit of residual warmth in the manure would warm up the soil underneath.

I guess that that opposing view is that you would be 'sealing in' the cold ground with the manure/mulch which would stop it warming up when we finally get some better weather.

I'd do it - but then, I can be impatient, and would just want to get the job done.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'm with the opposing view especially as we are likely to have perma frost if this cold spell is maintained

[redser]

Thanks to both of you. I see nboth sides too, especially like Hazel, the one where you're impatient to get certain chores done Looking like at least another 2 weeks of this weather. I'll ponder some more

[Aberdeenplotter]

as long as you have your mulch close to your fruit bushes, spreading it omce things warm up a bit won't be too much of a chore

[Aberdeenplotter]

<laughing at my typo omce> would sorted it but it tickled me when I saw it

[veggiechicken]

Nutter ^^^^^