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Is it too late to mulch now?

SplandySplandy Posts: 161
in The potting shed
I bought a load of compost to lay on my borders, with the aim of gradually improving the heavy clay. Is it too late to do this now?

Posts

  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    Never too late really in my opinion, cant r do any harm unless you have any seeds to come through, but will still add nutrients, keep weeds down and retain mosisture. Im still mulching the odd border. Id get any weeds out and give the soil a good soak first, especially if youve had the scorching weather we've had over this way
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I mulch throughout the spring, summer, and fall.  You could even do it in the middle of winter over the snow, if that's when you have time and mulch.  There is never a bad time, in my opinion.   :)
    Utah, USA.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    You should only mulch, if the soil underneath is moist, but other than that, now should be good.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • SplandySplandy Posts: 161
    The soil is very dry and cracked/dusty, because of the hot weather and it being clay. Will a water beforehand be enough and should I keep watering it afterwards?
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    You should really wait until there has been some good rain, to ensure the soil is properly damp.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    edited May 2018
    Give it a good soak the night before, and another again before you mulch.  You can put a spade in and make sure the soil is soaked through.  If your mulch is dry, give that a water after you put it down to keep it from blowing away.  After that, just stick a finger down in the mulch/soil and check to see if it needs a water.. over all, it should reduce the evaporation from the soil and reduce the need to water as frequently.  You might consider a secondary mulch over your compost, like newspaper covered with a bark mulch.  That will also eventually rot down and into your soil, improving the clay.  
    Utah, USA.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Agree there's not really a 'wrong time' to mulch. I also have heavy clay soil but a few seasons of heavy mulching has really helped it along.

    If it's dry and cracked it needs watering. I'd consider investing in a bar sprinkler and leaving that running for at least an hour one evening and then weed and mulch the soaked area the next morning. Better to do a small patch at a time really thoroughly than try to do the whole garden in one go (unless it's a really small garden of course!)
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • SplandySplandy Posts: 161
    Thanks everyone, I will give it a go
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