Peoples awareness of the potential benefits to gardens of using mulch has increased markedly over the past few decades. With the recent limitations imposed on domestic water resources and the implications for water use in the garden, plant moisture stress caused by drought is becoming an increased cause of tree decline. Mulch is gaining attention as one strategy that can assist gardens to cope with hot dry conditions.
Mulch is a covering placed over the ground. Numerous materials are used as mulch and these can be broadly divided into organic products, such as wood and bark chips, shredded leaf and branch matter, recycled pallets, leaf litter, saw dust, and straw, and inorganic products, such as crushed rock, gravel, plastic, and shredded rubber to name a few. Organic wood based mulch is the focus of this article.

Download full fact sheet as printable pdf