Mulching

[GreyishDays]

Lots of mention of mulching being something to do over winter has got me wondering.

Do you mean with bark? If so why does this need doing every year? Or something else?

I’ve been down it, but our garden goes as dry as a bone in summer so I was thinking of adding a layer of bark. Does that sound like a good idea?

God.

I’ve *never done it!

The bark breaks down over time, so after a year it doesn't cover the same amount of earth and it needs topping up. Bark has been quite useful in my garden (heavy clay soil), make sure you put any mulch on when the ground is wet.

You can use bark, homemade compost, bagged compost, and I used Gro-Sure smart ground cover last year.

Mulching works in two ways 1) if you get a layer of mulch over the top when the soil is damp, it'll cut down evaporation from the soil and slow down the rate at which it dries out

2. the mulch will be slowly broken down by creatures living in the soil and will be mixed into the top soil, incorporating lots of slow-to-break-down fibres which will increase the moisture retention of the soil (and also make it more friable , and easier to pull weeds)

It's because the mulch slowly breaks down that you need to keep topping it up. Maybe not every year. Better to put a thick (at least 10cm) layer over a smaller area than try to eke out a bag over a bigger area - bits you don't do this year you can always do next year.

Aha. Thanks both, that makes sense.

I’ll get some bark ordered!

Can you mulch with manure? I have cleared some beds and covered them with cardboard to stop all the chestnuts taking root. I would quite like this fallow time to be useful in enriching the soil. So I wondered about 2" of manure on top and the the cardboard and let the worms work. Does this sound sensible?

Also, we are likely to have a bonfire in the next month or so. I have read that the ash can be beneficial. Does this just get added on top.

Interested. I've got some bonfire ash that I'd like to make use of

Sure I've heard that using ash can make the soil alkaline, but I may be wrong.

I mulch with about 15cm of horse manure in winter, plus I leave the leaves that fall.. Then I add compost and chicken manure in spring.

The bark will break down, but it takes years, it needs nitrogen to break down. It will take it from your soil if you don’t add any.

Small amounts of wood ash is ok, yes it can make it acidic.

Sure I've heard that using ash can make the soil alkaline, but I may be wrong.

Small amounts of wood ash is ok, yes it can make it acidic.

My guess would be alkaline - an important constituent is calcium carbonate, the stuff that limestone is made out of.