Benefits of Mulch



Gazania without mulch 



When we moved into our property, the verge had five clumps of Gazania krebsiana (Gazania) growing at intervals along the wall.  Not wanting to invest too much on this area, I simply added some compost and mulch and instructed the gardener not to touch the area.  He was previously “turning the soil” with a garden fork to aerate it, but not adding any much needed organic material to it.  This was causing the soil to dry out much quickly, and disturbing the falling seeds from the gazanias, preventing them from germinating.





Gazania with mulch



The mulch used is a mixture of dried grass cuttings and dead leaves.  It’s been about 3 months since the gazanias received this new treatment and I now have new seedlings sprouting in the bed, so by January, the entire area should be carpeted in a mass of dark green leaves and beautiful flowers.  For more on Gazania krebsiana, a separate blog will follow soon.



  











Gazania  seedlings



In the meantime, here’s more on mulch...



Mulch is a layer of material – usually organic – which either forms naturally or is applied to the surface of the soil.  Establishing my new garden has involved applying a mulch to mimic a forest floor.  Mulch improves plant growth by:

• conserving moisture in the soil by reducing evaporation;
• providing additional nutrients from easily decomposed organic material;
• modifying soil temperatures (either keeping the soil cool and moist in hot periods or by allowing the soil to warm up more quickly in cooler periods);
• discouraging weed growth;
• preventing topsoil erosion.



Organic mulch can include:-


• Straw
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Nut shells
• Fruit pips
• Rotted compost
• Peat

Mulch should be applied after the ground has been weeded, but before plant growth is well advanced.  The ground should be well soaked before mulching.  Mulch should be spread in a 5-8cm layer over and around the roots of plants.  A well mulched flowerbed should not require heavy watering unless there has been a long spell of dry weather.

Pebbles can be used as an inorganic mulch but I try to avoid this unless it specific to the garden design as it can be quite tedious to maintain.