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Mulch Ado About Something...
A lot has been said about mulch, some by ostensibly famous people; unfortunately, some of it was just plain wrong.
Mulching, or adding a layer of protective organic matter around plants, is something that happens quite naturally in nature. If
you've ever been in a pine forest, you'll know that the thick layer of dead pine needles does more than just look pretty - it
protects the soil around the trees and much, much more.
The Key Benefits of Mulching
- It prevents water loss by evaporation (very important in these days of water restrictions!)
- It prevents soil erosion without damaging the soil structure
- It releases nutrients into the soil by natural breaking down the organic mulch material
- It protects fine plant structures under the soil from heat and drying out
- It looks fantastic!
And How Does It Do All That?
Mulch works by being a bit like a second skin. It needs to be porous, so that water and air can get in, but provide enough
protection against the sun and wind so that it isn't physically blown into your neighbour's garden (or the next state - remember the
dust storms in the 1990s?). It also needs to absorb heat without conducting it straight into the ground. So mulch is like really
expensive Alpine Wear for your garden, letting it breathe without freezing or baking it.
A good mulch will break down slowly, releasing valuable nutrients back into the soil. One of the best mulching materials is plant
bark (usually pine bark), since it's slow to break down, absorbs moisture, and resists the harsh Australian sun (yes, even here in
Melbourne).
So What Mulch is Best For My Garden?
Any mulch at all is better than no mulch! But for the vast majority of cases, a fairly coarse bark
or mulch is best.
In a smaller or narrower garden bed, a finer mulch (Morwell Fines or
Euca mulch) will give a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
This can be important for formal gardens, too, where you've put a lot of thought and effort into selecting the appropriate foliage
and textures.
Where Can I Get Some, And How Much Is It?
We're so glad you asked (no, really). Here's a complete list of all our mulches,
and please phone for prices. Don't forget that we have
courtesy trailers available for no charge (each holds a max of 1 cubic metre); or, you can arrange for immediate delivery. Please contact us directly for bulk prices and delivery rates.
Please Note : Aumann's strives to provide the very best products at
the very best prices in Melbourne. Unfortunately, our suppliers' costs
are outside our control. For that reason, the cost of some garden soils
and mulches will be dependent on the location. So please contact us
first if you wish to purchase products from our South Morang store, and
we'll be able to confirm a price before you purchase it! Aumanns
management apologise for the inconvenience, however this is solely due
to factors outside our control.
| Name |
Description |
Image |
Price |
Size |
Units |
Buy |
| Morwell Fines | Morwell fines are one of the finest (and darkest) mulches available.
It's ideal for the more modern-looking garden, providing a great smooth texture all over; although it can bind and prevent water penetration as it ages.
For this reason, it's most useful for smaller, feature areas, where water seepage can still occur from surrounding areas. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | 12mm Pine Bark | Another popular mulch.
Like the finer pine bark, its water retention is great, but it 'knits' better and is less likely to be blown away in strong winds.
As it's cheaper than the 7mm variety, it's more economical for those extra-large areas. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | 7mm Pine Bark | This fine pine bark grade is the single most popular bark mulch with landscapers and gardeners.
It's great for moisture retention, and the chocolate and cream colouring matches just about any garden. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | Euca Mulch | Also called "SoftForm", Euca mulch is popular for use in play areas.
It consists mainly of eucalyptus wood pieces, so will not affect the soil profile, apart from providing protection. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | Bush Mulch | Bush Mulch is a very coarse, mixed material.
It contains some bark, some wood, and various other cellulose products (fibrous root bark, etc).
NOTE: We get this product from only 2 suppliers, and unlike other suppliers, we are assured that no vines or blackberries are included as a suprise. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | Coarse Bark | Coarse bark, as the name suggests, is a roughly 2" x 2" coarse milled bark.
The price makes this suitable for use in those backyard areas, where you need the protection mulch gives, but without the premium price. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | Cottage Mulch | Cottage mulch is a finer, mixed-grade mulch medium.
It provides great water retention, and the finer particles wash into the soil very quickly, making the nutrients available sooner, while leaving a nice, "old fashioned" textured covering. |  | . POA | | m³ | | | Sugar Cane Mulch | Shredded sugar cane stems & leaves are a great lightweight mulch, and will not take root like pea straw. (Unfortunately, you can't grow your own sugar with this!)
Price is per 80 litre bale. |  | . POA | | Each | | | Redgum Chips | Redgum chips are primarily redgum wood pieces, with some bark.
The colour may vary, but is generally a lighter rose brown.
The size of individual pieces varies from around 10mm to 90mm, so this will help prevent birds from spreading the mulch all over your garden!
Redgum chips are recovered as a by-product of redgum milling, where otherwise they would not be made available in Australia.
Note that redgum chips are quite different to redgum mulch! |  | . POA | | m³ | | | Dyed Redgum Mulch | Unlike redgum chips, redgum mulch is a much finer product.
It does retain a very similar colour to the redgum chips, but may be slightly paler. This colouring may vary slightly from season to season.
However, this mulch also contains a significant proportion of bark and fibrous wood, so will rot down more quickly.
Since it is a finer product, it's easier to handle and spread. |  | . POA | | m³ | | |
