Hosepipe Ban

Further to my advocating to mulch as much as possible to counter water shortages, a well known local rose grower announced on the radio today that although he hasnt watered his roses, and he hasnt had rain, they are doing well; he mulches heavily.

 

Just cut front lawn, last watered 5 days ago, some rain on Saturday morning and just a little overnight in mid week. It was generously top dressed (mulched) in April and before that in October and I think this has helped keep grass green over this very hot, dry summer

 

ARMANDII.....I have been trying to convey the message to mulch over MOIST soil not over dry soil. Not once have I suggested anybody should mulch a dry soil. I have consistently been very clear about this

My point is that a mulch, applied correctly as above, does indeed help conserve moisture. Here the front garden is a light sandy loam but heavily top dressed over the years, esp over a damp soil every spring, and it certainly helps retain moisture in the soil.
And, always apply mulch over damp soil .....this is something I have repeatedly said. I have also said that anything freshly planted should be watered well and then mulched.

I am simply trying to encourage folk to mulch if they can.....
Just as Marley has done so do I....it works

 

I wondered where I was going wrong
My lawn, last watered 1985, and I've never top dressed it.

 

I'd be interested as to what you use for mulching, buying bags of bark etc is pretty expensive.

 

I use leaf mould that I get from a nearby house that has a very, very long tree-lined drive.

Nothing beats leaf mould for mulch as it is copying nature.

 

Well I have watered mine since 1985 Pete.
And I have watered this summer.

However, my lawn would once turn yellow very quickly during any dry spell, hot sun or not and this does not happen now.

Not sure the material is esp important but I have never used bark nor would I want to on a lawn

Last autumn I mixed equal parts of my own top soil with mpc and brushed this into the lawn surface; repeated in early spring this year. (I felt we were due a hot summer this year....I even said so on the forum). I top dress for two reasons....to help maintain lawn level and to protect the grass roots from the drying sun. I also do a third thing, viz., raise the mowing cut.

I have used mushroom compost...... cheaply bought as a lorry load....and plenty of pure leaf mould. A few years back, when it was acceptable, I used peat. Also used council compost but found this too lumpy (besides the quality of it, plus not knowing exactly what pernicious weeds might be in the mix so no longer used here). Fresh seaweed applied in large quantities in autumn was also applied; come spring esp after mowing, the remnants broke down beautifully in spring

Try it Pete.

My lawns are not huge..... front is about 150 sq yards; the back a little less

For the record, I will be top dressing my niece's new build turf this autumn such is my conviction of the value of it

Just missed kindred spirit's post....agree, leaf mould, if one can still get it, is excellent.

 

I wouldn`t have thought anyone in their right mind would consider putting mulch down on bone dry soil (mind you, I can think of one or two who might)
As I cut down faded blooms at the moment, I water well, and mulch over the ensuing bare patch.
Not sure about logic or physics, I call it common sense.

 

I agree @kindredspirit, and all you need to do is collect up the leaves in autumn and let them rot down - not costly at all.
I bought a bulk load of ''peat plus'' some months ago from a Norfolk firm (eBay) So far it seems to be improving the soil very well in my garden and feeding the plants, as well as retaining precious moisture. In the past I`ve found spent mushroom compost very good.

 

Mushroom compost about £80 for a bulk bag, yep, too much for me, and I never manage to make enough compost, its a long winded process where by 3ft ends up at 6 inches or less.
I get leaves in the autumn, but as to making leaf mould, yep two years wait and a similar pitiful amount.

I could bugger about top dressing the lawn in spring, but of all the plants I grow, grass is the bottom of the list when it comes to wasting water, I'll leave that to the golf courses
One week of rain and it will be back, as green as grass.

I'm thinking of getting a decent shredder as I get quite a lot of prunings in winter.

 

Ah! I remember you saying that Tetters. I am tempted to buy a bulk load myself this autumn.

Well, anyone reading this thread will know now exactly how to mulch and when to mulch.