Mulching/feeding/improving soil

[WellTidy]

I’ve never done this. I have quite a lot of beds due to the layout of the back garden, I’ve spent quite a lot of money on plants over the last few years, and I think my garden does quite well. It would no doubt do better if I improved the soil or fed the plants, rather than just watered when the garden needs it. I have a mix of the normal stuff - shrubs, perennials, not much that requires ericaceous feed or compost.

I have a compost bin, but it doesn’t produce much compost, maybe enough to be able to cover 5% of the whole beds area.

So what should I do please? Does the whole garden need to be mulched (have I left it too late if it does?) or is it ok just to feed (and if so, when and how frequently)? I have liquid tomato feed and liquid miracle gro.

Now is the perfect time to mulch.

It keeps the weeds down and the moisture in.

It also makes everything look nicer.

I love a freshly-mulched bed!

Good time to mulch as the ground should be wet so can retain some moisture. If you have a lot to do then you can bulk ton bags delivered. If you can't do it all then pick the areas that get driest/weediest. Then do a different bit next year.

Ok! Can anyone recommend a munch please? I will have to have it delivered and then wheelbarrow or from the drive into the back garden.

I use this stuff: https://melcourt.co.uk/products/composted-fine-bark/

Thank you. Trying to work out how much I need and how much that will set me back!

Lots! Ideally a couple of inches thick on the soil.

I get soil improver or well rotten farm manure and my beds (small! I think in total about 30m2) will take a good 6-8 big bags to put on that thick. I am a bit stingier on one bed that got put in a few years back with new topsoil and a bit more generous on the older clay gloop elsewhere

I use a mix of well rotted horse manure and Strulch. https://www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/strulch-organic-garden-mulch-9kg/classid.2000009217/?msclkid=013fba1a9c8915d7ab8ede01d667f7ce

You can also save dead leaves into bin bags and use the following year when they've rotted down (leaf mould).

No access to horse manure, unfortunately. This is going to be pricey! I think my beds are about 100sq metres in total. So do I need about 30 bags for the whole garden? I may just do part of if this year and see how much of an improvement there is, and how long it takes me to do the job.

Depending on your soil type - I get one giant bag of ‘Black Gold’ soil improver each year for my heavy clay soil, and use it like a mulch. It makes a v noticeable difference https://www.compostdirect.com/black-gold/p2

Check with your local independent nursery. Generally, mulch or manure are sold at a mark up when bagged. You may find you can get (or negotiate) a discount if you buy it by the cubic metre. It sounds intimidating and obviously you do have a pile o' poo for a while, but it's much the best value, and if you crack on you can get it spread quite fast.

Honestly you don’t need to mulch/feed your beds. That is the “ideal” but your beds will be fine without it.

I have an enormous amount of garden beds and would spend £££ every year on compost if I mulched every bed. I just mulch my veg/fruit/rose beds and that’s it. I will use spent pot compost on other beds on a rotational basis.

Leaf mould is another way of getting mulch if you have lots of leaves and space to store them whilst they rot down. You can also register as a drop site for woodchip from local tree surgeons if you want another free way of mulching.

Use your compost on the bit you think needs it most, then do another bit next year.

Why aren’t you getting much compost? What are you putting on it and what are you not putting on it?