Mulch Ado About Nothing…

The weather has been much better in the last few weeks with very little rain and quite a lot of sunshine. This is absolutely delightful for us and the plants in the garden, but if you have any new plants or plants in containers, they will need to be well watered to avoid dehydration.

When watering, it is not enough to just wet the surface soil. If in doubt poke your finger into the soil by a few centimetres – the chances are that it will be bone dry, so give it a good soak. Also, deep watering encourages the roots to grow further downwards in search of the water which, long term, helps it to stay hydrated.

You may find a potted plant which you have forgotten about. If it looks as if it is at death’s door, don’t panic. Stand it in a bucket of water – overnight if necessary, and it should come back from the brink. Remember, if the plant is ericaceous (eg: Rhododendron, Camellia, Heather), it won’t like tap water so remember to use recycled rainwater.

If you have a flower bed which is in full sun, you can save yourself watering time by adding a good deep mulch of bark chips or recycled compost. It is necessary to give the bed a thorough weeding and watering before you put the mulch on. Ensure that the mulch is at least 15cm deep. Any thinner than this, and the weeds can grow through and the sun will penetrate and dry out the bed. It will make planted beds look much tidier and well-attended. Instead of wasting precious time standing around with the hose, you will be the envy of neighbours and friends as you can sit in the garden to relax and enjoy a little glass of something.