29/10/2023
It has been a fair while since posting here - we have been busy lil fairies fluttering around in your gardens :-)
Time to educate again, due to many new clients wanting us to lay w**dmat in their gardens.
For many clients, there is a belief that adding w**dmat and/or stones will stop w**ds. Unfortunately, w**d seeds are spread by birds, and the wind - and by not nabbing the w**ds before they turn to flower and produce seed. Get those w**ds out while they are small !
In addition, clay soils are often berated for getting waterlogged, causing root infections for plants and being difficult to dig – all of which are true. When w**d mat is put on top of a clay soil and then heavy pebbles or stones placed on top of that, the soil becomes compacted and hardened. This can lead to anaerobic and waterlogged conditions during wet conditions, which then can cause plant roots to rot and die.
When trees and shrubs are planted through w**dmat, their growth can be obstructed by the matting around their base. In addition, you are unable to feed the plant or the soil with a granular fertiliser or sheep pellets as these products can't access the ground, due to the w**dmat being a barrier to growth.
So if not w**d mat, what else? You can lay newspaper down to assist in helping those pesky w**ds popping through. The newspaper will break down over time... also, keep on top of w**ds by pulling them when they are tiny. Secondly, lay a good 3 inches of forest floor mulch over your garden. It is every bit as effective as w**d mat, keeps soil from drying out, (so reduces the need for watering, especially in summer) and allows your soil to enjoy the benefits of the mulch slowing breaking down, adding organic matter to your soil and releasing the nutrients your plants need to thrive.
To summarise, If you lay w**d mat in your garden beds, you stop the natural cycle that keeps your soil healthy. When plants are growing in soil that is constantly enriched by organic matter in the form of fallen leaves, wood chip mulch, compost, manure etc., worms are attracted into the soil where they aerate the earth (essential if you have clay soil) and leave behind their castings. Worm casts hold moisture, which means less watering and the soil stays lighter and fluffier. The soil’s microorganisms also thrive, breaking down the mineral matter into the nutrients that plants need to grow.
Happy Gardening to All !
