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Articles about Compost and Soil Treatments
7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile
Aerated Compost Tea, The New Organic Fertilizer
Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of common compost materials
Compost mixtures you can make at home
Composting is Fun for the Whole Family
Green manures and Cover crops in the Organic Garden
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
How to build a compost heap
How to make loam and leafmould
How to make worm compost
How to solve problems with compost making
How to use organic fertilisers
Mulching - Comparison of costs and results for organic and inorganic mulches
Mulching Benefits - Organic And Inorganic Mulch Types
N:P:K Analysis of common composting materials
Obtaining Free Mulch For Your Garden - Uses And Methods Of Getting It
Soil Basics - Creating Fertile, Healthy Soil
Soil PH And Its Effect On Your Garden
Understanding Soil Nutrients
Using Garden Compost
Aerated Compost Tea, The New Organic Fertilizer
Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of common compost materials
Compost mixtures you can make at home
Composting is Fun for the Whole Family
Green manures and Cover crops in the Organic Garden
Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening
How to build a compost heap
How to make loam and leafmould
How to make worm compost
How to solve problems with compost making
How to use organic fertilisers
Mulching - Comparison of costs and results for organic and inorganic mulches
Mulching Benefits - Organic And Inorganic Mulch Types
N:P:K Analysis of common composting materials
Obtaining Free Mulch For Your Garden - Uses And Methods Of Getting It
Soil Basics - Creating Fertile, Healthy Soil
Soil PH And Its Effect On Your Garden
Understanding Soil Nutrients
Using Garden Compost
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Organic Gardening:
Mulching - Comparison of costs and results for organic and inorganic mulches
by Frann Leach
Looking for something else?
Organic gardeners tend to go on about mulch. But if you're just starting out, these charts will help you to choose between the different types available.
Just to clarify, an organic mulch is one made of natural materials, such as grass, and an inorganic mulch is one made out of, for example, plastic, newspaper, or woven fabric. Both are used by organic gardeners, and there is nothing wrong with using an inorganic mulch in an organic garden. It's one of those words with several meanings, and there is no real conflict, it just sounds that way.
Comparative effect of inorganic mulches
Effect of covering an area of soil with different materials for a period of 2 weeks prior to sowing. The effect is greater towards the middle of the area.
Comparative cost of
|
| Autumn leaves | Free |
| Bagged composted bark | 60p/bucket |
| Bagged chipped wood* | 60p/bucket |
| Well rotted manure | Cheap/free |
| Composted municipal sludge | 83p/bucket |
| Bagged cocoa chips/shell** | £1/bucket |
**slug repellent
| Type of material | single layer | double layer |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape fabric | +1 degrees C | +1 degrees C |
| Carpet | +1 degrees C | +1 degrees C |
| Clear polythene | +2 degrees C | +2 degrees C |
| Fleece | +2 degrees C | +2 degrees C |
| Black polythene | +1 degrees C | +1 degrees C |
When to use mulch
| Purpose | Plants | When | Material |
| To conserve moisture and suppress annual weeds | Roses, shrubs, soft fruit, asparagus, globe artichokes | April/May before the ground dries out | Peat, leafmould, compost, lawn mowings |
| Suppression of perennial weeds | All types | Anytime | Newspaper, plastic |
| Frost protection | Asparagus, globe artichoke, many shrubs, some flowers (dahlias) | Autumn | Straw, rough leafmould, bracken, green manure crop |
| Protecting muddy paths, especially in raised bed growing | All types | Anytime | Straw, sawdust, bark chippings |
©2004 Frann Leach. All rights reserved.
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