Mulch empty beds to protect soil

Mulching is useful in summer to maintain soil moisture and to control annual weeds. In winter it’s useful to mulch bare soil to improve the structure of the soil and help reduce the loss of soil nutrients. It will also protect soil organisms below and, in spring, you can either plant through the mulch or dig it in. Leaf mould, partly rotted manure and compost are all ideal. If you need to empty your compost bin to make room for new material, you can mulch with the compost, even if it’s not completely decomposed, because it will still protect the soil and can be dug in come spring.