We paired up with one of our Champions, Richard Chuck to write this blog in order to guide and encourage people to mulch. We hope you find it helpful! 

Many people do not consider mulching as much as they should. Mulching is vital for conditioning the soil that in turn feeds your plants with the nutrients they need to thrive. And this can mean frequently as well. If you want to get the best out of your plants and all the hard-working gardening you undergo as it is, mulching is a must – at least once or twice a year depending on the plant. Richard’s take on mulching: ‘Mulching your garden is above all else the best thing you can do for your garden. It’ll quickly turn your soil from a bronze medal to gold! Adding a quality organic mulch to your soil has many benefits that new gardeners and more experienced alike often overlook. Plants are constantly making heavy demands on the soil they sit in by taking out the goodness.’ 

The Science Behind Mulching and In Particular PlantGrow Mulch:

One thing that is so important to remember and explains why mulching should be kept up with, is the soil’s structure will not only gain from the greater medium acheived for the plant, but ‘also allows the ingress of air and water to enter the soil much more easily, plants grow better if they get their roots into a friable growing medium where they can more readily take up water and feed. Mulching also helps with soil evaporation during dry spells’ as Richard explains.

PlantGrow Mulch is made from harvested cereal crops that go through a renewable energy process. Meaning, our blends are formed using organic material adequate for nourishing your plants so that they get the benefits out of the natural bacteria formed without any food or animal waste along with the advantage of being peat-free! It contains all the necessary micro-nutrients that your plants need – ‘you’ll quickly notice the difference as they become healthier, stronger, larger plants and produce better flowers, all fruit trees and shrubs also benefit from a regular mulch and so will your vegetable plot, you’ll be the envy of your fellow allotmenteers! If you’re getting into the no dig planting method (I’m not!) then it’s perfect and a win situation’ – Richard Chuck.   

Does it ever feel like all that watering doesn’t seem to get your garden anywhere? Our mulch has amazing water retention holding on to 5x the water than its own weight in water. This can be so helpful especially when we reach those warmer seasons that like to dehydrate your plants, holding onto that water means that your plant has more than it needs to keep going. You will have much better chances of success if you use mulch to hold on to that water that would usually sink into the soil without benefiting the plant.

What Richard Advises When It Comes To Mulching.  

Although you can apply mulch throughout the year there’s always going to be an optimum time, for me I prefer to put on a thick layer from September onwards, if you apply your mulch thick enough as winter approaches it will help to create a more balanced temperature in the soil and help to protect the plants root zone, think of it as putting on a winter duvet! I like to employ the worms after I mulch to do some work for me by taking it into the soil over the winter period, the pays not great but the worms get all the benefits of a good workout as they take it into the soil! This lets me get on with other essential jobs!  

Another good time to apply mulch is in early spring this helps prevent weed seeds germinating, and tops up any depleting winter application, it also helps your soil battle the element’s by preventing soil erosion caused by our sometimes-aggressive wind patterns, if like me you constantly move your plants around or put in new plants it’s good practice to apply a thick layer around the base but be sure to water your plant in well before you mulch it as this helps to retain the moisture.

Significant Points to Remember:

• Be sure to apply your PlantGrow mulch when the ground is damp, or apply water before you mulch  
• Apply a thick layer six inches deep for great results (before winter, it’s that duvet affect)  
• Apply a top up in early spring (to suppress weeds or seed germination)  
• Apply it around the base of new plants (water in well before mulch application)  
• Use it as a plant pot top up  
• If you’re applying the mulch in a dry spell, be sure to water the soil before applying  

And finally stand back admire the results of your plant grow mulch and give yourself a pat on the back!



We are so grateful that Richard Chuck has kindly helped us with the opportunity to encourage and educate on how important it is to mulch!

Make sure you go and give Richard Support on his Instagram Account @agardenersjourney.1 and on his own Youtube Channel Podcast ‘Up At Grassy Bottom’. He has so much to share on gardening, his outlook on gardening is wonderful. Feel free to reach out to him and ask him any questions you might have on gardening – we could not recommend him anymore!