Mulch Ado About Nothing - Sustainable Gardening Australia Footprint Flicks

Mulch is a material that is spread on top of the soil to improve its quality and provide several benefits for plants and the garden.

Mulch can reduce evaporation from the soil by up to 70%, prevent weed growth, release valuable nutrients to plants, and condition the soil.

Some types of straw-based mulches include sugar cane mulch, Lucerne mulch, barley straw, and P-straw.

Leaf mulch is made up of fallen and collected leaves. It is good for low-nutrient gardens and provides habitat for garden critters like frogs and lizards.

Wood-based mulches do not have a high nutrient content and take a while to break down. They are great for native gardens and exotic plants, but should be kept away from the stems of plants. Pine bark and Yukie mulches can alter the pH of the soil.

Inorganic mulches include pebbles, rocks, and gravels. They help suppress weed growth and minimize evaporation, but do not improve soil structure or provide nutrients to plants.

Living mulches are non-invasive native species that can be used to suppress weeds. They include ground cover gravel ear species, creeping bubula, Scavullo or fan flower, and native violence or dichondra.