has anyone used strulch?

Just wondering if anyone has used strulch as a mulch?
I am a complete compost / mulch novice but if they are using it at Wisley and the Eden Project it must have some benefit? I have ordered a couple of bags for my rose garden to try but would be interested to know if anyone has used it with shrubs?

http://www.strulch.co.uk/what-is-strulch/

 

never used that , but interesting to know ...It`s unbelivable how much difference a good prepared soil will performe well on plants or manage to keep plants alive .

 

I wish I had a head for business.

It seems to me that someone has composted some straw, giving it a fancy brand, and is now selling it for £8.20 per bag.

I like how it is made from 'wheat straw', as opposed to just straw. I guess that's because by specifying what type of straw it is, even if it is the most common type, adds maybe a couple of quid to the retail value.

If I owned a riding school or a livery stable, I'd gather up the used straw from the stable floors every other day, and stick it on a big pile. Then instead of pondering how on earth I'd get rid of my ever growing mound, I'd bag it up, give it a brand, and sell it for £8.20 per bag

 

Instead of Barley straw (or Oats / Rape / etc) perhaps?

Not sure it makes any difference, once composted, but maybe it does?

I think composted hay is amongst the best, but its full of grass seeds of course :(

I've put that in the bottom of trenches and then planted hedges and I think its helped - and I don't reckon many/any of the grass seeds have germinated from 12-18" down

 

Fair point. I guess because until fairly recently, wheat was the local crop up our way. You hardly saw anything else growing (except spuds, which was our other local major crop) so I incorrectly just assumed that wheat straw was 'normal' straw

 

Having just read the "Strulch" blurb it really doesn't seem to do anything that any other slow to moderate breakdown 'mulch' could do.
Seems they add iron to it.
http://www.strulch.co.uk/about-strulch/product-information/

 

I own the company and you might be interested to know about Strulch. It was developed by my husband at Leeds University. It is a manufactured product with organic verification. It is not a compost. The patented process preserves the straw and turns it brown. It lasts on the surface for up to two years and does not rob nitrogen from the soil so plants stay healthy. It works by blocking out the light. It has a nuetral pH so it can be used anywhere in the garden and it has a slug and snail deterrant within it. The deterrant irritaes the slugs and snails. They don't eat it and so it doersn't enter the food chain. One 100 litre bags spreads 3 sq metres. All in all its excellent value and that is why The Eden project and the RHS use it. You can use other mulches but they wont compare with Strulch.

 

Hello and welcome Jackie.

Forgive my scepticism, but I have a couple of questions (I'm not out to cast doubt on the product, I just want to understand it).

If the straw is not composted, but is presumably shredded and by some process turned brown, then apart from the colour, how does it differ from just using straw? Also, straw rots. The more finely shredded it is, the faster it rots. I presume the patented process slows this down as shredded straw in contact with the soil wouldn't normally last anywhere near as long as 2 years. Without giving away patented manufacturing secrets, is there something that's been done to it to slow the rotting process down?

And now for a confession/apology/correction from me. Following the link above, I'd misread the page. When I made a point about it being £8.25 per bag, I'd misread how much was actually in the bag, getting it into my head it was 25 litres. Re-reading it, I see it is 150 litres per bag, which makes the £8.25 price tag far more reasonable.

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Jackie

Some interesting feedback there

 

Welcome Jackie. You say it 'irritates' slugs and snails, this suggests to me it might have an effect on earthworms as well, has your husband researched this possibilty please.

 

If it is patented then the information about it will be [published] in the public domain, thus not secret. (The principle of a patent is that you publish the "method" in return for a monopoly, the intention being that it is for the betterment of science as others can read your innovation and then have their own brainwave - so long as it doesn't infringe your patent )

 

Jackie

Is it any good for roses please? Can u tell me what minerals are in it?

 

The strulch has arrived. It is very light isnt unplesant to handle it looks like chopped up straw and smells like vinegar to me. I will post a pic of bag later as it lists ingredients etc.