Best Mulch options

Hi, I am looking for some advice on the best mulch options for my pots, these pots are quite large, I have my little Acer trees in them. As we now live in Turkey the sun can be very hot, I am keeping the pots in the shade as when I left them even for a few hours in the sun the tree leaves started curling and turning brown. I read somewhere that mulch was a good idea to keep the pots moist, I was thinking of taking some leaves of my apricot tree and putting them on top of the soil in the pots would that be ok or is there a better way of mulching my pots. Thanks in anticipation of your help.

 

Yes when you cut your grass you can place your cuttings around the plants you want mulched this however wont stop the sun curling up your leaves if they are left out in unprotected sunshine.

 

What about the leaves as an option would that be OK?

 

We are lucky living in Turkey because of all the exotic plant we can grow....that is when I learn how to take care of them because of the heat.

 

Don't acers need to be kept in the shade, sheltered from the wind, and well watered?

 

I have been reading as much as I can find on the net however, I am still clueless about how much to water them, I don't want to over water them.

 

If in doubt, only water when dry and not in between waterings and yes leaves will act as a mulch if you do not have grass clippings.

 

I don't understand that bit.

 

I have just spent the last half-hour crushing pine cones for mulch, they should be ok ? yes

 

Yes, but "well watered" and "well drained". Dappled shade, rather than full shade I reckon.

I think they will struggle with the heat in Turkey, but if they are seen in other gardens then that is a good indication that they are happy.

 

To be honest I haven't see any out here, I just hope with a lot of TLC mine will survive, I have them both in large pots under the porch.

 

OK, on that basis I'll stick my neck out then!

Potted, as you have them. Out of wind, and in shade (under trees would be best I think).

I would put a tray/saucer under them, and inch or two deep, and put some small stones / gravel in the saucer so that the plant pot sits on those stones, then keep the tray filled with water (when you water the pot and excess will drain into the saucer and then overflow that). This will provide extra humidity around the plant - although I don't know how well this will work outside, its a trick normally used indoors, but if there is little/no wind it should help.

I wonder if it would be worth misting them too - with a small hand sprayer. That will be easier if you are at home and walk past them several times a day - you can then just pssst-pssst-pssst-pssst with the little sprayer each time you go past

 

Many thanks for the advice Krisen, I have found a fine sprier and have raised the pots out of the bottom tray, I have also put some water in the bottom tray, do I do the tray as well when I water them? do I water them every day? I put about a pint of water in, is this OK?

 

NO harm filling the tray whenever you like (to provide humidity you need some water in the tray, so make sure its always got some), but a good watering of the pot will probably run out and fill the tray too - so you probably won't need to fill the tray when you water the pot - if you see what I mean?!!

If the soil is well draining, and the temperature is hot, then I reckon it will need watering every day.

Best is to test the weight of the pot. Let it dry out as much as you dare (2 days maybe?). "Feel" the weight of the pot. Then water it, let it drain, and water it again - i.e. so it is about as wet as you can make it. Then feel the weight again. If it feels significantly heavier then that test will be helpful in future. If it feels like the heavier weight when watered it doesn't need watering, if it is getting nearer to the light weight (or is even lighter!!) then it is time to water it.

P.S. You don't really want to water so much that a lot of water runs out of the bottom, because that will wash out some of the fertilizer too. So watering such that only a little comes out of the bottom (but the pot still gets to the "heavy" weight) will be perfect. You might find that filling a bottle with water, and making one small hole in the bottom so that it drips out over an hour or two, will water the pot slowly enough that it doesn't gush out of the bottom.

But these are all refinements, depends how much "faff" you can be bothered with! And a plastic bottle on the top of the pot doesn't look very attractive!

 

I really really appreciate this advice, its only now that I have retired to Turkey I am starting to try to appreciate gardening, didn't have much time when I was working. I will follow your advice and see how I get on, I don't mind the "Faff" if it keeps my little Acer Japanese maple trees healthy.