This is a duplicated thread. I gave answers on the other one. @Have a go Nick already stated he doesn't have leaves for leaf mould. A mulch can be all sorts of things, depending on the basis of using it. Mostly, it's for soil improvement, so any organic matter does a good job for that. Some are better than others though, depending on the conditions of the soil to start with, but any organic matter works well, especially well rotted manure from animals which have a veg based diet, from horses to guinea pigs. For trees/shrubs/hedges - anything woody, bark is fine too. Many people use it for aesthetic purposes too, especially if there are lots of empty spaces over winter. I tend to avoid that around perennials, and always make sure the crown of many plants is kept clear. Things like peonies for example, don't appreciate being covered in wet material long term, whereas many bulbs can benefit from an extra layer of material. As for timing, a mulch is also used for moisture retention, so applying through winter and into spring is ideal if in a very dry area and prone to periods of drought, which many people in the south have been experiencing. Here, I tend to apply spent compost in autumn when annuals are done, simply because it does a useful job. I certainly don't need it for moisture retention, but it's useful for raised beds which can become drier at times. Most mulching material can be added throughout the year though, just taking care to bear in mind the site, conditions and climate - as with many aspects of gardening. Something that a lot of people forget.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Agree, leaves might be better, but any leaves are as good as any other. IME Beech take the longest to become useable.
I think it depends on what you want. If the aim is for them to break down quickly then oak and beech leaves are great (they are high in nitrogen and low in lignin). If you want something to last longer then thicker leaves like sycamore and horse chestnut are good (they are low in nitrogen and high in lignin).
Beech seem to hang around for me as well but it does say on the rhs website that they are one of the best leaves for quick leaf mould and that they don't need to be chopped up.
Practical answer - whatever you can get hold of relatively easily and cheaply in decent quantities is better than no mulch at all or a meagre layer of something expensive.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I wouldn't recommend Evidence as a mulch, to be honest - it's ok when it's wet (if a little unsightly), but when it's dry it just blows all over the place...
Good Evidence isn't cheap either and it can take years to stock pile enough of it to be useful. It also can be quite easy to mistake for manure and you usually have to sift through it to make sure of the contents. Be careful of the provenance. It's a rich medium, reliable and robust, so very much worth the long term investment, I think.
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A mulch can be all sorts of things, depending on the basis of using it. Mostly, it's for soil improvement, so any organic matter does a good job for that. Some are better than others though, depending on the conditions of the soil to start with, but any organic matter works well, especially well rotted manure from animals which have a veg based diet, from horses to guinea pigs.
For trees/shrubs/hedges - anything woody, bark is fine too. Many people use it for aesthetic purposes too, especially if there are lots of empty spaces over winter. I tend to avoid that around perennials, and always make sure the crown of many plants is kept clear. Things like peonies for example, don't appreciate being covered in wet material long term, whereas many bulbs can benefit from an extra layer of material.
As for timing, a mulch is also used for moisture retention, so applying through winter and into spring is ideal if in a very dry area and prone to periods of drought, which many people in the south have been experiencing. Here, I tend to apply spent compost in autumn when annuals are done, simply because it does a useful job. I certainly don't need it for moisture retention, but it's useful for raised beds which can become drier at times.
Most mulching material can be added throughout the year though, just taking care to bear in mind the site, conditions and climate - as with many aspects of gardening. Something that a lot of people forget.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think it depends on what you want. If the aim is for them to break down quickly then oak and beech leaves are great (they are high in nitrogen and low in lignin). If you want something to last longer then thicker leaves like sycamore and horse chestnut are good (they are low in nitrogen and high in lignin).
Beech seem to hang around for me as well but it does say on the rhs website that they are one of the best leaves for quick leaf mould and that they don't need to be chopped up.
Good Evidence isn't cheap either and it can take years to stock pile enough of it to be useful. It also can be quite easy to mistake for manure and you usually have to sift through it to make sure of the contents. Be careful of the provenance. It's a rich medium, reliable and robust, so very much worth the long term investment, I think.