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mulch query
Mrs G
Posts: 336
I've just got some Strulch to mulch around my trees, hedge and strawberry bed. I have enough left to mulch another bed which has echinacea in if it survived the winter but I can't see the crowns yet. Can I mulch now and will the echinacea push their way through the mulch or do I need to wait until growth starts so I can avoid the crowns?
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If theres absolutely no sign of growth, you can cover them up. If they have signs of growth, just put around each crown. Mine are already showing small leaves, and I have mulched around them.
Mulch needs to be applied when the soil is damp so it helps to keep the moisture in; if the soil is dry the mulch will prevent the soil from wetting. I dont spread mulch over my borders as I try to encourage self seeding. However in late spring when I can see what is what, I try to "tickle" some mulch gently between plants. I then do a bit more before plants set seed.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
MrsG - what is Strulch? Is it a straw based mulch?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes Fairygirl, last year I used the bog standard chipped bark around new bareroot trees etc to keep weeds from around the plants while they got established but it lasted about 5 minutes, especially with the birds flicking it everywhere looking for food. It is quite expensive but it does say it lasts for 2 years and the bales are big. I think it is also 'fortified' with something like iron.
So re: mulching the bed I should leave it a bit longer for the soil to warm up then just do round the plants of they ever resurface? As the weather has been so mild I already have weeds growing! The other bed I've put some on is totally empty and I plan to put pot grown annuals into it by moving the mulch aside. I'm on clay so I need to mulch to improve the state of the soil. Hopefully I will be using homemade compost in Autumn as I can't afford to do shop bought every year!
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Maybe I'll use the mulch to do round my hellebore then as they are in flower now and I can see the crowns of the other plants around there.