Mulching your Garden

Mulching your garden is the natural and easy way to conserve water and protect your back from hours of weeding.
Mulch not only protects the soil but provides food for worms and other helpful creatures in your garden.
 

Will Your plants survive this summer?

 
“Summer is historically the time of greatest water use and risk of restrictions on that use.“  - Find out more information on water and water supply by visiting Wellington City Council 
 

WATER RESTRICTIONS ? – WE CAN TAKE AWAY THE WORRY

Seeing favourite expensive plants dying because you are one of the community minded people who are complying with water restrictions can seem very unfair.  BUT there are things you can do. 

The Wellington City Council recommends Mulch.  Saying on its web site “Mulch protects your soil from the drying effects of wind and sun and can cut evaporation by 70%” (source Wellington City Council)
 

What is mulch?

Mulch is anything that is put on the soil to reduce water evaporation, and in some cases enrich the soil and built up hummus.  Hummus is the soft spongy layer of decomposed material that is full of goodness for your plants.   
 

Why Mulch?

Mulching your garden is the natural and easy way to conserve water and protect your back from hours of weeding.
Mulch not only protects the soil but provides food for worms and other helpful creatures in your garden.
 

MULCH OPTIONS

Compost

Compost enriches the soil and if put on thick enough can be a temporary weed mat.  It is not the best solution for reducing water evaporation.  It is recommended that a mulch, such as bark or leaf mulch  is put on the top. 
 

Leaf Mulch

This product is mulched up wood and leaves.  Its benefits are that it is a very effective weed mat but it decomposes quickly enriching the soil while generating heat.  It is an excellent way of reducing evaporation, creating a warm, wet blanket over your soil.  During decomposition it can take nitrogen out of the soil, so it is advisable to add a general fertilizer, such as blood and bone with it.  It is wise to seek advice from our staff about how close to push it around certain plants. 
 

Pea Straw

Pea straw is the royalty among mulches.  It is rich in nitrogen, breaks down beautifully and is an effective weed mat, as well as reducing evaporation.  Regrettably it can take off in Wellington winds so it is best used in a sheltered spot.  An added bonus is that peas often grow out of it. 
 

Bark

Bark is the longest term organic water retainer of the mulches. It can make the soil acid and will take nitrogen from the soil as it slowly decomposes, this can be addressed with additions of lime and a general fertiliser. It creates a spongy attractive layer that can be walked on   without causing the damage to soil that would otherwise occur from heavy feet
 

Shells/stones

These make an excellent mulch for those areas where you want to plant a garden that requires limited maintenance.  This, plus a weed mat on top, is an excellent way of retaining moisture and reducing maintenance required by weeding.  If this mulch is used under trees leaves will fall down and eventually weeds will grow on the surface layer. 
 

Delivery Options

We can deliver the mulch of your choice by truck, or it can be collected in the free courtesy trailer. 
 

Advice

Contact Us to discuss what best meets the needs of the various sections of your garden, so that when water restrictions hit this year your plants will hardly notice.      

ABLAZE HELPING CUSTOMERS MAKE INFORMED CHOICES FOR FAMILY HOME AND GARDEN NEEDS

Watering Tips

• It is recommended that you should only water if the soil is not moist at the point 10cm below the surface.  Always water in cool settled weather so that water wastage due to wind is reduced. 
• Watering in the early morning or the evening when evaporation is at its lowest means that you get maximum benefit for your efforts. 
• Watering close to the ground at a rate the soil can absorb is the most effective way to water.
• The government’s web site recommends  that established plants only need 30 minutes of watering once or twice a week in dry weather.