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Mulch query

debbiemartindaledebbiemartindale Posts: 23
in Problem solving
I garden in the South West on heavy clay. We get more than our fair share of rain in the winter. Last year my main flower bed had problems in that all the plants were very short [ Salvia Amistad about 12 inches and nigella about 4 inches. I scatter blood fish and bone in spring but wondered about putting a heavy mulch and leafmold on in Jan . Would this help do you think? Also it is heavily planted..how do I avoid smothering plants and potentially rotting them? Ideas welcome as to solution!

Posts

  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    Mulching will benefit plants greatly, I'd wait till later in the spring when you can start to see the plants coming back and not mulch over them. It's always a tricky balance I have lots of blubs which happily grow through a mulch so I could do it early but the beds a crammed with perennials which I can't see till much later when the bulbs are all up and in the way. You can do it in Autumn as well bit you need to cut back plants to get in 
  • debbiemartindaledebbiemartindale Posts: 23
    Thanks . I was thinking of doing it now as we have very mild climate and many plants are already starting to come up...others never died down! In March it might be harder for me to get into the bed without treading on bulbs
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    As long as you can see the plants to go around them its fine, just don't go right up to the plant crowns
  • debbiemartindaledebbiemartindale Posts: 23
    Thanks....If I mulch somewhere where a bulb or plant is underneath that hasn't shown itself yet would that be ok or will I kill it? A;so have loads of cransebills and forget me nots as ground cover and won't be able to mulch around them. If I go over them wilkl that harm them?

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    If you have leafmould it would be almost criminal not to use it,  it's as valuable to the garden as gold to a jeweler. 🙂
    AB Still learning

  • debbiemartindaledebbiemartindale Posts: 23
    I bagged up 10 binbags worth...I have a lot of leaves around here Allotment boy. 

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Lucky you  I'm jealous 😅
    AB Still learning

  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    Bulbs will happily grow through mulch but I'd avoid spreading over any perennial plants, I buried some achillea last year they really struggled to get through and did very poorly  afterwards. It's generally recommended to try not burying plants if it all possible 
  • debbiemartindaledebbiemartindale Posts: 23
    Thanks for your help Wilderbeast [ never thought that's a phrase I'd ever use!]
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