What to Mulch with ?

springchicken

Hi there,
Can anyone tell me what I need to Mulch my borders?
I am quite new to gardening ,planted up my borders with established shrubs from pots last year.
However I have been told I need to mulch them this Spring.
What would I need to to buy to do this ,and how much should I use?
Shrubs have settled in nicely and I would really love them to get going this Summer.
TIA
Springchicken

A._Badger

Home made compost is best but if you haven't got any (and few of us ever have enough) then well rotted manure is an excellent alternative.

It might be worth checking with your local council. Some of them make and sell compost.

Hope that helps.

arkonite_babe

I use bark chips to mulch in my beds. Helps with root cover and looks tidy too.

HTH

pinksleepybear

I use shredded garden waste. I borrow my neighbour's shredder and use up all the branches I've removed through the year.

If you need a lot of mulch, you could try phoning a local tree surgeon and ask for shredded waste. I've heard they often deliver it for free so they don't have to pay for disposal.

BlondeHeadOn

pinksleepybear wrote: »

If you need a lot of mulch, you could try phoning a local tree surgeon and ask for shredded waste. I've heard they often deliver it for free so they don't have to pay for disposal.

Isn't this possibly a bit acidic as mulch though? Depending on the trees that have been shredded?

This is a genuine question, as I was once told by a tree surgeon that some of the shredding can be too acidic for mulch for some plants.

springchicken

Hi everyone
Thanks for all your helpful replies .
Went out today and bought a couple of bags of manure.
Was going to put a layer of bark chippings on the top too but would have been a bit pricey.
Will definately get a composter going for next year though !

amcluesent

>Isn't this possibly a bit acidic as mulch though?<
Plus the nitrogen content is bad. Plus, unless you know the source, you could be spreading honey fungus all over the garden.

A._Badger

springchicken wrote: »

Hi everyone
Thanks for all your helpful replies .
Went out today and bought a couple of bags of manure.
Was going to put a layer of bark chippings on the top too but would have been a bit pricey.
Will definately get a composter going for next year though !

Please make sure the manure was well rotted, springchicken. If it isn't (most of the stuff sold by the side of the road isn't, I'm afraid) it will be too 'fierce' for most garden plants and will do more harm than good. If you bought a commercial brand you'll be OK as that's always rotted down before it's sold.

Sorry its all so complicated, but you'll soon get the hang of it!

Lotus-eater

amcluesent wrote: »

>Isn't this possibly a bit acidic as mulch though?<
Plus the nitrogen content is bad. Plus, unless you know the source, you could be spreading honey fungus all over the garden.

I think as long as you compost it down first, there is no problem with it, certainly I have used composted wood shreddings as mulch on my raspberries for years without any problems.

Never come across the honey fungus myself, but you can always ask the tree surgeon to make sure.

Suzy_M

A lot of tree shreddings are too acidic, also if using it around fruit bushes etc it can affect the flavour of the fruit (we used fresh privet clippings one year around cherry trees - Yuk!)

Best thing to do is to leave the shreddings in an exposed heap for a year. There's little nutritional value in shreddings but they do help to retain moisture and add humus as they rot down.