Make a winter ‘duvet’ for the garden
Ruth looks at the various ways and means of using mulch
WE are well into autumn now, the season of hearty stews, warming fires and thicker duvets and blankets on the bed.
We should also be thinking about insulating the garden
– throwing an overcoat on borders to keep them snug through the coldest months.
It’s time to mulch, to add a layer of well-rotted compost, manure or leafmould that will insulate plant roots, keep weeds at bay and break down through the winter to feed the soil and improve its structure.
Add your mulch in a layer around 3in (7cm) thick to soil that is damp and has been weeded. If soil is dry, wait until after the next substantial rainfall as mulching on dry soil can create drought conditions due to rain being unable to penetrate down and causing plants to suffer. Mulching is not the same as feeding, and while it does feed the soil it is in such small and gradual amounts that plants won’t return to growth. Actual fertilisers should not be added because they will stimulate new shoots that will be too weak and tender to survive winter. Once damaged by frosts they will blacken and start to rot, weakening the plant and providing a handy entry point for diseases.
Wait until late winter or early spring to restart feeding your plants, as this is when they will return to life after their winter dormancy and will be hungry for nutrients that will help fuel regeneration through the growing season.
Don’t mulch right up against the trunks of trees. Leave a gap, as wet mulch can soften and weaken the bark and provide an entry point for pests and diseases.