"pixo" wrote in message
...
Hi,

There are different types of Mulch you can get; Pea straw, Peat Mulch (and
feed), Cottage Mulch, Red Wood Mulch, Pine Bark Mulch, Opti Mulch, Garden
Mulch - just to list those available from Yarra Valley Water and a couple
of
others I saw at Bunnings on the weekend.

I would stay clear of pine bark mulch, whether it be the large chunky stuff,
or woohchip (typically used by councils, woodchip.
On cos it does take a long time to break down, can leech tanins(sp?) onto
concrete, staining it, and can get spread into grass if a dog or child gets
into it, and it's not that easily picked up.
Although it may not look the most attractive, it seems Lucerne hay is the
best for soil. We have swapped over to it and it does seem to have made the
plants take off at work.
We have used mulch that came from mulched trees around work, and it also did
wonders for the clay soil, but did take longer.
Other than that, coloured mulch you pay a lot more for, pebbles can look
good in the right situation but do nothing for the soil, and if you decide
to re-plant in a pebble mulched garden it can become a headache.

This amount of choice indicates that they do different things, or are of
different value, so how do you choose which type of mulch to buy?

Most would keep the soil moist, and soil temp more stable, and provide less
weeds. Mulch from a local tree lopper is probably the most cheapest, and
best for soil, but make sure it is a few months old, not fresh, as it will
rob the soil of nitrogen. And ask them if there is any tallowood in it. If
there is, forget it.

Pixo