thisplace.com.au - Eco Mulching

Mulching occurs naturally rainforests where the forest soil is covered with a thick layer of leaves, twigs and branches. As these break down and decay, organic material and nutrients are returned to the soil.

Harness the benefits of mulching

You can introduce the rainforest mulching system into your garden and reap the same benefits. Simply use your garden leftovers such as leaves, grass clippings or shredded tree and shrub prunings and cover any bare soil in your garden or any area where you want to stop weed or grass growth. Underneath tree and shrubs is also an ideal place for mulching.If your garden does not produce enough material for mulching you can also use shredded green waste ( without seeds ), hay, straw or even old newspaper.

Advantages of mulching

Generally, a mulch layer protects the soil from the sun, heavy rain and wind, which can dry and deplete the soil. Consequently, mulching your garden provides the following rewards

reduced weed growth
reduced drying out and surface crusting of soil
reduced waterloss and erosion
increased water penetration and water retention
improve soil conditions and healthier plants
alleviation of the need to dig the garden
encouragement for earth worms and other beneficial organisms
a slow release fertiliser as the mulch decays
reduced weeding and watering needed, saving you time and money

Mulch Cover

Generally speaking a mulch cover should be about 15cm ( 6 inches ) deep, especially for course mulches ( eg stalks, leaves, straw ). The mulch can be deeper around shrubs and trees ( eg large quantities of lawn clippings or bagasse ) are used, a layer of 8 cm ( 3 inches) is sufficient. It is best to use a mixture of materials as water is more easily absorbed.

Soft and green mulches ( grass Clippings ) break down faster than woody mulching materials, and produce more nutrients, while coarse, woody mulches tend to be more effective for reducing weeds.

Make sure that the mulch does not touch trunks and plant stems.

Grasscycling ( mulch mowing )

Using a mulch mower, mowing your lawn becomes a natural way of reusing grass clippings and returning nutrients to the grass. Good mulching mowers chop the clippings very finely so that the grass filters through to the soil surface and does not stay on the surface of the lawn. Grasscycling does not leave clumps of grass or damage your lawn in other ways.

Consequently, grasscycling is an easy way to have a healthy lawn as:

organic matter is returned to the soil
nutrients are recycled and slowly released
a deeper root system develops ( due to grass being longer after cutting )

Cutting the lawn too short is detrimental to the vigour and health of the grass. With grasscycling, more of the grass blade remains and the lawn develops a better root system with a higher level of resistance to disease.

Clever lawn care

If you are going to take up grasscycling you might also want to change some of the other ways you care for your lawn. With the grass clippings remaining on the lawn.

you can reduce the amount you need to water and fertilise your lawn
you can often use less pesticides and weedicide as your lawn will be more healthy and vigorous

With the change to grasscycling you can mow your lawn as often as you would. However, grasscycling should save time, as the grass catcher does not have to be emptied.

Ideally though you would have an optional catcher to use when the grass is very long, as grasscycling does not work as well for long grass. The clippings in the catcher can be used to mulch your garden beds or added to the compost.

As with normal lawn mowing, grasscycle only while the grass is dry. Wet grass sticks to the mower chassis and blades and does not filter to the soil but tends to stay on top of the grass in clumps.

Source: Brisbane City Council information sheet