The Benefits of Autumn Mulching

When

October is the time to start thinking about enriching your soil. By adding a mulch to your beds and borders when plants are dying back for the winter brings a whole range of benefits to your garden. The Hertfordshire Garden Centre has bulk bags of mulches and fertilisers available for home delivery or collection from store.

Benefits

Mulching suppresses weeds which can save you time in the Spring. By mulching in Autumn, the roots of younger plants are protected from frost. This top layer also protects the plants from the cold winters and keeps the earth warmer for longer, therefore helping to avoid extremes of temperature. Adding a good layer helps to retain moisture deep within the soil helping to create great looking plants and shrubs in the Spring.

Using a fertile mulch can increase the nutrients in the soil – as the organic material decomposes, these are released back into the earth helping to produce healthy and strong plants in the New Year. This material also provides food for earthworms; vital for healthy soil these creatures help to aerate the earth and increase the minerals within. The typical wet weather for October helps the top layer break down more quickly

How

Adding mulch to the garden should be done with care to ensure you reap the benefits. Make sure the dressing is evenly spread but avoid direct contact with the stem or trunk to lower the risk of rot. Ensure there is moisture in the soil before adding around 2 inches of your chosen mulch.

Types

The Hertfordshire Garden Centre has a range of mulches available in bulk bags:

• Well-rotted Horse Manure
• Fertile Mulch
• Mushroom Compost
• Ornamental Bark Mulch
• Strulch

Smaller bags are also available in store for you to come and collect or purchase online.

We can offer local delivery – just pop in store, call or use our new online shop to order for quick, local delivery using our own vehicles and drivers.