Formulated to optimise plant growth by providing the right conditions to suit the plant at a particular stage in its life, or for certain types of plants such as orchids, cacti or ericaceous plants. Because of this, peatlands also play a huge role in supporting global biodiversity. You may wonder why this is important. Many campaigns use flagship species such as Polar Bears, Tigers and more locally, Otters to signify the importance of biodiversity. It seems a terrible shame that future generations may exist in a world where these species do not exist. However, there is a lot more to biodiversity than just the “when it’s gone it’s gone” problem. A compost mulch also has the extra benefit of feeding the soil life and plants. In most cases* there is no need to use any other feeds even for ‘hungry feeders’ such as squash and tomatoes. So you’re saving time with less watering and no extra feeding - especially useful for gardeners growing away from home on allotments, or with busy work and life schedules.

Many weeds can also provide a valuable habitat and ground cover for predators so wilder areas really help. I even grow a little patch of stinging nettles in my polytunnels for ladybirds and lacewings. So next time you see fungi popping up in your garden or open a compost bag to find a web of fungal hyphae, be grateful! You have one more incredible helper in your garden. Trees growing in forests have a particular use for their fungal friends. As their roots are “plugged in” to the fungal network beneath the soil, they use this connection to communicate with one another. You may wonder what a tree might have to say to another tree on earth, which is a fair question. Trees use this fungal web to warn one another about the presence of a pest or disease. Raising young plants - we use 25 different composts to grow tomato and marigolds, sown as seed and transplanted when they have two non-seed leaves.

2 comments

Looking forwards, it is a good idea to mulch everything by the spring if you can, to help conserve moisture in the ground before the main sowing and planting commences in the spring.

There are two main types of compost: multipurpose and composts for specific use, such as raising plants from seed or growing plants in patio containers. Multipurpose and all-purpose composts Fresh leaf mulches such as grass clippings and comfrey leaves are ideal for larger plants and potatoes.Of course, this isn’t something we see on peat-based compost very often for the simple reason that peat is inert. It exists in waterlogged conditions that the fungi cannot inhabit. But of course, neither can anything else, making peat quite different from non-peat-based composts.

When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.” (19th century poet Minnie Aumonier) These hyphae are usually invisible to the human eye unless they are in very high concentrations. Every so often, I squeal with delight as I open up a bag of compost to find a delicate white coating. Millions of fungal strands form a lace and assure me that my compost is healthy and full of microscopic life. Although there are some signs of plant stress here caused by the hot, dry weather (mainly trees showing autumn colour earlier than usual), my garden is still lush, green and abundant thanks to mulches. The surface looked dry, yet the soil underneath was retaining moisture.Claimed to be suitable for germinating seeds, small seedlings and plants in patio containers, it's a good general compost, but our tests show that not all are great for all jobs. Look carefully at our results table to find one that is good for all your garden tasks. You may see composts formulated for veg growing. These are very similar to multipurpose composts, but may have a slightly different balance of nutrients. Some are excellent, some are less good. Look at our grow bags results. If you can’t get enough compost to mulch the whole of the bed now, concentrate on spreading a little around the plant stems to protect that area. Healthy soil is crucial for a healthy planet, and growing using no dig gardening methods is a key way that we can help to create and maintain a vibrant soil ecosystem. Soil is the largest sequester of carbon on the planet. Digging releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, so one of the simplest ways we can all help to reduce climate change is to stop digging.

The compost can be any composted matter: homemade, well rotted manure, well rotted wood chip, leaf mould, shop bought compost. I love making compost. It’s such a treat to use delicious crumbly fertile compost made from kitchen scraps and garden clippings. The right balance of nutrients - a good seed or potting compost should have the right balance of nutrients to grow a range of plants during this stage of their development, whereas a multipurpose compost should be able to support plants at all growth stages. Remember that most composts only have enough fertiliser to last around four weeks, so after this you will need to add liquid feed or one of our Best controlled-release fertilisers .After cropping all winter, I am now planting it out again. It’s amazing to think this was weedy grass not very long ago. In August 2021 the polytunnel was put up here and I mulched it in exactly the same way. No dig is not a new idea. It has been used by growers across the globe for centuries, as an effective way of growing abundant food in harmony with nature. Techniques vary from place to place. In hot dry climates a deep mulch of plant matter is often used to help prevent loss of moisture, but here in the UK that can create a habitat for slugs, snails and woodlice: not ideal next to your veg crops. In the UK composted mulches, which do not create this habitat, are mostly used.