Have you heard of mulching? Maybe you’ve seen the ground in a garden or park covered with bark mulch, straw or grass clippings. But what’s this done for? And how can you use it in your own garden?

Mulching is a simple but effective technique that will help you grow stronger, healthier vegetables, flowers and shrubs – and with very little effort! In this article you’ll find out why mulching is so important, what materials you can use to do it, and how to get it right.

Think of a wood: the ground in it is never bare. Leaves, twigs, and all the dead parts of plants cover it like a protective layer. And it’s precisely this natural process we can make use of in our gardens.

Mulching means covering the ground with a protective layer of organic or mineral material. This layer brings a whole host of benefits:

• Less watering: the mulch layer keeps moisture in the ground and stops water evaporating too quickly.
• Weed suppression: weed seeds find it more difficult to germinate as they’re not getting enough light.
• Soil protection: the soil doesn’t dry out, doesn’t harden so quickly, and stays loose.   
• Adding nutrients: organic mulch materials like leaves or compost will break down over time, feeding the soil.
• Protection from heat and frost: in summer the mulch keeps the soil cool, in winter it protects plant roots from the cold.
• More earthworms: they love mulch and improve the quality of your soil.

To sum up: mulching saves you work, protects the soil and helps you grow healthy plants! 

There are two main kinds of mulch: organic mulch (which breaks down over time) and mineral mulch (which stays there permanently). The best material to use depends on the plants you’re growing and the location in your garden.

Organic mulch materials – natural & nutrient-rich

These materials decompose over time and enrich the soil with nutrients:

• Bark mulch: perfect for ornamental gardens and shrubs but not for vegetable plots as it absorbs nitrogen.
• Straw: great for strawberries and tomatoes – keeps the fruits clean and dry.
• Grass cuttings: nutrient-rich but spread thinly so it doesn’t go mouldy.
• Foliage: a great winter cover for beds and borders but slow to decompose.
• Compost: the best natural fertiliser, works really well for vegetable plots.
• Wood chippings: good for paths and under bushes but slow to decompose.

Mineral mulches – for long-term protection

These materials do not decompose and alter the soil permanently:

• Gravel or stone chippings: great for rock gardens and plants that love dry conditions.
• Lava granules: stores warmth and improves soil structure, perfect for Mediterranean plants.

Which material is best?
It depends on the garden! For a vegetable plot, compost or straw are ideal, for paths bark mulch or gravel are best.

Tip: Not all plants like all kinds of mulches! For instance you shouldn’t use bark mulches on vegetable beds because they will extract key nutrients from the soil.

Beginners might wonder – can you just put anything on the soil and leave it at that? Not exactly – getting mulching right means following a few simple rules:

1. Prepare the soil: remove weeds and loosen the earth a little.
2. Add the mulch:

• Fine materials (e.g. compost, grass cuttings): 3–5 cm thick
• Coarse materials (e.g. bark mulch, straw): 5–10 cm thick

3. Keep it away from plants: leave a little space around stems and stalks so that the plants don’t rot.
4. Remember to top up your mulch: organic mulch decomposes over time and will need to be renewed regularly.

 Tip: Mulching works best when you apply it on moist soil – this helps it to retain the moisture in the soil even more effectively!

You can mulch all year round but the best time will depend on what you’re looking to achieve:

• Spring: great for retaining moisture and preparing the soil for the upcoming season.
• Summer: keeps the soil cool and stops plants losing too much water.
• Autumn: protects roots from frost and prepares the soil for the winter.
• Winter: leaves or straw can provide an insulation layer for tender plants.

Tip: In hot summers it’s worth topping up your mulch every time it rains as this will help keep the ground moist for even longer.

Mulching is easy but there still some things that can go wrong:

❌ Mulching too thickly → Danger of rot and mould growth
❌ Mulching straight onto weeds → Weed seeds might germinate despite the mulch 
❌ Wrong mulch for the location → Bark mulch extracts nitrogen from veg plots
❌ Applying damp materials too thickly → Grass cuttings can go mouldy

✅ he right way to do it: it’s best to mulch in thin layers and top them up as needed.

To sum up: why mulching is a game-changer for your garden 

Mulching is one of the simplest and most sustainable ways to make your garden more healthy, low-maintenance and productive.

 Key facts in brief:

• Mulching saves water, suppresses weeds and protects the soil.
• Choose the right material: straw and compost for vegetables, bark mulch for woody plants, gravel for plants in dry areas.
• Apply the mulch correctly and keep it away from plant stems.
• Don’t forget to renew organic mulch when it has broken down.