Hi everyone,

Aspiring cottage gardener here...I have a question about mulch. Its early spring and I have some bulbs already poking through. When do you all add mulch? I'm afraid to let the mulch guy walk thru the beds to spread mulch because theres baby plants all over and I dont know if it's okay to have them covered up by mulch, let alone having them stepped on. I also feel like it will take longer for the ground to warm up. How/when do you mulch, if at all? Thanks!

Hsb.

I don't know whether my garden is a cottage garden or not. I just plant wherever there is a bare spot. As a result, my garden is stuffed to the gill. Every square inch is planted many times over since I plant in layers.

As regards to mulching, I mulch whenever I can find the time and wherever I want to cover; for example, each spring I would mulch over spent spring bulbs such as Scilla, snowdrops, mini narcissi and baby plants and allow only some of baby plants to grow.

The last time I bought mulch was probably 30 years ago. I have been getting mulch that I can get for free, e.g. shredded leaves, woodchips, horse manure mixed with bedding, straws/haybale, etc.

You will have to try and learn and decide what works best for you, because what works for others may not work for you. Gardening is a lifelong learning experience. Enjoy!

Sorry to be answering your question with more questions.

You don't state where you are, or your soil conditions, or the mulch you hope to use.

Mulch is a very vague term. One can mulch with sand, soil, compost, leaves, straw, even rocks. It is a really long list.

Mulch can work both ways, keep things warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Stepping on plants is rarely a good idea, so before they emerge is best.