At Materials In The Raw, we know how important it is to Mulch your garden. The main idea behind winter mulching is to keep the ground frozen by shielding it from the warmth of the sun. A steady temperature will keep the plant in dormancy and prevent it from triggering new growth during a brief warm spell.

Why Should You Mulch the Garden in Winter?
Basically, the reason you should mulch in winter keep the ground frozen by shielding it from the warmth of the sun. Mulching will keep the plant at a steady tempreture and thus dormancy. Mulching in winter will also conserve whatever water is in the soil for future growth. 

What Products are the best to Use to Mulch the Garden in Winter?
At Materials In the Raw we have a variety of Mulch products available. In Winter re recommend mulching with Sugar Cane Mulch. Our Sugar Cane Mulch is on sale now so be sure to get in quick as this is a special winter sale and won't last forever! 

Keep in mind that you’ll need to remove the mulch in the spring, or at least rake it aside. This is why Sugar Cane Mulch is a great choice as its easy to handle. Besides Sugar Cane Mulch, shredded mulch, straw, pine needles or shredded leaves are all easy to remove or easy to work into the soil.

When Should I Apply Winter Mulch?
Well ideally you want to apply winter mulch to protect crowns and surface roots. Mulching to protect most perennial plants is done when the soil has started to harden, which is generally after the first hard or killing frost. At Materials In The Raw re recommend spreading a 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plants. A good tip if you have grafted plants, like hybrid tea roses, is that you mulch them more heavily.

Prevent Desiccation: When wrapping your shrubs, be sure to leave space between the branches and the burlap or the burlap will freeze onto the branches and cause its own issue. You can also fill the space between the shrub and burlap with leaves, for additional insulation. When adding mulch, a 2 to 4-inch layer of shredded bark mulch or compost does help conserve the ground moisture but be sure not to pile it around the base of the plants. You'll wan to keep it several inches from the stems or you’ll invite rodents who like the cover of mulch while munching on the bark. Mulching up against the stems also holds too much moisture against the plant, providing ideal conditions for diseases to take hold.

Prevent Heaving: When the ground repeatedly freezes and thaws, it expands and contracts. When a plant is sitting in ground that expands and contracts, its roots get loosened from where they are anchored underground and the plant eventually gets pushed up through the surface of the soil, exposing its crown and roots to freezing temperatures and drying winds. This a a core reason of why we mulch during winter in the first place! 

Prevent Erosion: This is important for fallow gardens, like vegetable gardens during winter. Mulching unplanted garden beds can be done at any time in Autumn. It is ideal to plant a winter cover crop and let it sit until you till it under in the spring. If you choose not to plant a cover crop, it would still be beneficial to spread a layer of compost, manure or shredded leaves.

Removing Winter Mulch
The general rule of thumb is to remove winter mulch in the spring when all danger of a snap freeze is past. That’s sometimes hard to judge but when the ground starts to thaw and the smell of mud is in the air, it’s time to start raking and removing the mulch so that the ground can warm and new growth won’t be inhibited.

And there you have it! A simply explanation of why you should Mulch your garden in Winter and some easy steps to doing so!

If you have any more questions don't hesitate to contact us or viist us in store! 

From

The Management and Staff

Materials in the Raw

About Materials in the Raw

Materials in the Raw (MITR) was established at Casula in 1988 as a bulk Landscaping materials distributor reselling sand, soil, gravel and mulches. MITR specialises in the supply of landscaping and building materials from multiple locations in the Sydney Metropolitan Area.

We deliver paving supplies to all Sydney regions including: Sydney City, Canterbury-Bankstown, Eastern Suburbs, Forest district, Hills district, Inner West, Macarthur, Northern Beaches, Lower North Shore, Upper North Shore, Northern Suburbs, South, western Sydney, Southern Sydney, St George, Western Sydney and Greater Western Sydney. If you are would like paving supplies delivered outside of Sydney please contact us for delivery prices

Our Sydney outlets are located at:

Chullora: Corner Hume Highway and Davidson Street
Guildford: Corner Ruby and Oxford Streets

At MITR, our customers are extremely valuable to us. It is our mission to help you build the very best with our diverse range of products and commitment to great service.

Our experienced and enthusiastic staff will work with you to make sure you get the job done in the right way. All MITR employees are trained on a regular basis so they are up to date with the latest products, trends and tips.

We are determined to be the best in the industry and we go beyond Landscaping Supplies and building materials. MITR has a genuine commitment to supporting local communities to keep them strong and their environments clean.