Another beginners question -Mulch

[TracyP]

Hi
I have been reading various gardening books and magazines. I am not on top of all the terms yet, but have been reading about adding a mulch after planting. What is best to use, do you just spread it on after planting and are they generally available from gardens centres?

Many thanks!

[bluemoon]

Anything which covers the soil to prevent weed growth/moisture loss is a mulch, mostly people use a thick layer of organic material such as manure, compost, grass cuttings or even cardboard, but it can also refer to inorganic things such as black plastic sheet. It depends upon what you're growing, what you have available and how much you want to spend. Certainly garden centres have plenty of things available which will work well as a mulch.

[allotmentlady]

What I do is to telephone my local tree surgeons and ask if they have any chippings? He generally does and will deliver for a fiver, worth asking as they have to get rid of it, so its recycling!

[lottielady]

Last year I tried an Andi Clevely trick with my leeks, we put down wet newspaper and then grass clippings on the top and then everything stayed nice and damp and kept the weeds down.

[lainey lou]

Last year I tried an Andi Clevely trick with my leeks, we put down wet newspaper and then grass clippings on the top and then everything stayed nice and damp and kept the weeds down.

ooooh! Nice idea lottielady, thanks for sharing that, will have a go this year.

[TracyP]

Thanks folks! great tips - really helpful