Can I ask about mulch?

[takeabrolly]

New gardener here. I am bringing some order to my garden after many years of neglect. I am now at the planting stage and have finished adding plants to one border. What kind of mulch should I be getting? I have a compost bin but there isn't enough ready yet so need to buy some. Should I get bark chippings? Is it ok to put it down now? Do I spread all over the border or just around the plants? All advice welcome!

Quite a bit of info here

www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=323

Thanks for the link I'll have a read before I buy

If you can find a nearby horse owner or a riding stable of some sort they will have a lovely much heap. Horse manure rots down very quickly and is a wonderful mulch (not least because horse owners are usually only too glad to get rid of the stuff and will generally either give it away or charge a nominal £1 per bag or something), doesn't smell once rotted, and is full of nutrients. I have horses and get through bags of the stuff on my garden - I spread it thickly on my veg patch last autumn and by planting time you wouldn't know if had been there as it had all incorporated.

There's a riding stable near me - I'll ask!

If they do give you the run of their muck heap - take a spade and either scrape away the top few inches, or else dig down - you will very quickly see the difference between the fresh stuff on the top and the very dark compost-like rotted stuff a bit further down.

@takeabrolly

There's a riding stable near me - I'll ask!

Here’s a tip! Get hold of some large supermarket bag for life bags, as big as you can find them, or IKEA bags. Easier to lift into the boot and carry than sacks, and easier to fill too. I empty them into a dalek composter then keep them in my shed waiting for the next trip.