Mulching

Hello im just wondering if people are putting mulch down to protect from winter weather. . If so why do you do this as none of my neighbours are mulching anything

what are you using for mulch

Ive read compost can be used as mulch but how does this prevent weed growth ? all my compost says that it will provide nutrients for plant growth so can i really use that as mulch?

Has anyone gone out of their way to buy pine tree bark for mulch . If so where do you buy it from. I have two bags of wood bark but im not sure what sort of tree they have come from

Ive just planted new plants and moved my apple tree a bit. Should i wait a little while to allow them to settle in before mulching

 

Mulch is used as a soil conditioner and can also protect the crowns of plants in the soil from the heaviest frosts.

It can be any organic matter you have available - home-made compost, leaf mold, spent planting compost, well-rotted horse manure, spent mushroom compost (but only for non ericaceous plants), chipped wood or bark, even cardboard on veggie beds.

Wood bark is usually used as a decorative finish to suppress weeds on otherwise bare soil.

 

Well composted material can be used as can leaves. Depends on what weeds you are referring to ? If annuals, a mulch may well see them off but "problem" weeds with roaming roots will enjoy a warm blanket. Shredded bark is often used as a top up - decorative in the main as said above.
A good nutrient for use in Autumn is Blood fish and bone - a sprinkling round your plants and lightly raked in is often a help.

 

Im not wanting to use mulch for soil conditioning just for winter protection of roots etc but i wonder if i need to bother

I buy my compost in large 25 or 50L bags. Does that count as "well composted material" for winter protection /mulch?

Previous years i've just been using bark but as i say im not sure what sort of tree its come from . I never use fish blood and bone as i have enough foxes visiting on their way to wherever they are going and dont want to run the risk of attracting more

 

What kind of plant roots are you wanting to protect, totally hardy plants don't need root protection.

 

Why do you think this would be better?
I seem to remember most of your plants are in pots I wouldn't bother mulching these. I'd move any pots with tender plants in them against a house wall or stick them in a shed or garage if a particularly cold spell is forecast for your area.
I use leaf mould or well rotted garden compost on dahlias left in the ground over winter and on tender plants like hedychiums, some salvias.
I have a pile of shredded pine branches and needles swept off the flat roof and the paths I use this to mulch camellias, rhododendrons etc. If I didn't have this available it would be well rotted garden compost.
I wouldn't bother feeding anything at this time of year, the plants are not actively growing, wait until springtime when they have started into growth.

 

i was thinking of doing it for all the plants i have. Today i planted some Gaultheria procumbens

 

They are really too heavy to move. Theres a few websites that say pine bark and leaves are better for ericaceous plants and i have a few ericaceous ones but its hard to find pine bark near me and when i look online its unclear from some websites as to whether the bark in their pine bark is actually from a pine tree .
I'm thinking of mulch for root protection and hopefully weed suppression not for food . After the mulching i am planning on pruning some plants though i think i saw a bud on my blueberry plant so am not sure whats happening there

 

Are any of your plants tender in your area? have a look at the hardiness quoted on various nurseries websites or the RHS website and if you are don't get down to the minimum temperature fairly regularly in your area then you don't really need to mulch.
Also have you got enough space to put a decent thickness of mulch around the plant without it going all over the place.

 

As an example, I am going to mulch my gingers with chipped bark that I happen to have. It's purely because they're less hardy, even though, here in South Wales, winters aren't too severe. Similarly, I might mulch the hibiscus moscheatus that were planted this year. Otherwise, why bother? Gaultheria are tough - they shouldn't need anything. And plants in pots suffer more because the roots are next to the sides of pots where they can get colder. Mulching the tops doesn't help that.

 

I checked the RHS website and i think all the ones i have are rated H4 or H5 by them

 

Are there any solutions for when the plant root is against the pot ?

 

I would only think of mulching something labelled H3 (1 to -5°C). if it was in the ground, in a pot it would be moved close to the house or into the cold greenhouse.
Note the hardiness rating is only a guide: it will depend on things like how windy the site is, how long the cold spell lasts, how well drained the compost/soil pot/ground is and nobody likes cold wet feet.
I'd check the drainage from the pots, if on slabs consider pot feet or stick a stone or similar under one side.

 

Apart from putting the plant in a bigger pot or moving the pot (sack barrow useful), burying the pot in the ground; all of which in various posts you have ruled out. Then you are left with checking the weather forecast and fastening bubblewrap round the outside of the pot (baler twine useful) whenever a coldspell is forecast.

 

I agree with @NigelJ - but your plants being h4 or 5 should be fine unless you're up in @fairygirl or @hailbopp part of the country!