Mulch with Strulch
I have small south facing walled garden, lots of trees/shrubs and a little grass. Dont go for flowers but grow veg in tubs and in a small greenhouse. Soil not surprisingly seems tired. Cant really manage heavy digging in, there also seem to be lots of root systems just below the surface which I worry about disturbing. I know that I probably should mulch - question is whether the Strulch product can just be left on surface and would it be the best thing to use?
Would be grateful for advice.
Helen, London
It sounds like your established trees and shrubs have drained all nutrients and life from your soil. With all the surface roots you have I would suggest that you need to add some topsoil to give your existing plants some nutrition. For your information Rolawn topsoil can be ordered directly from Harrods and is supplied in 1000 litre tote bags. If you do not need that quantity you can buy smaller quantities from garden centres. For your vegetables in tubs the compost would need to be changed yearly and enriched with organic matter to ensure you get good results.
You will need to enrich whatever planting medium you choose on a yearly basis by adding more organic matter such as compost to put valuable nutrients back into the soil. As you only have a small London garden I’m assuming you don’t have a compost bin so you would have to buy in well rotted manure or add Pelleted Poultry Manure.
Regularly feed during the summer months will make all the difference to your vegetables - we feed our plants Organic Liquid Fruit & Vegetable Feed throughout the summer on most of our crops on a weekly/bi weekly basis depending on the plant.
Strulch garden mulch is a wonderful product that we use extensively on all our beds in Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden. It is excellent for keeping moisture in, reducing weed growth, provides winter protection and deters slugs & snails. Strulch does enrich the soil and can be left to break down over time adding valuable organic matter to your soil but I would definitely improve your soil first and then apply mulch around the base of your plants and trees and you will definitely notice the difference next year with the health of your trees and plants.
Kind Regards
Lynn Burton - Horticultural Adviser
