blank

Do you want a weed-free garden? Film #12 Weed-Free Mulching by Morag Gamble (3 mins)

Do you want a weed-free garden? 


It’s easy. How you mulch makes such a huge difference for on-going weed maintenance. 

In this 3 minute film, I show my new weed-free section of garden and contrast it with two other areas mulched differently…. The results speak for themselves even after just five weeks. 

  1. No weeds – used compost, newspaper and mulch
  2. Some weeds – used compost and mulch (no newspaper)
  3. Weedy – used compost, but no newspaper or mulch.


blank
Watch my new 3 minute film about weed-free mulching: https://youtu.be/Ymtj2yU_ov4






With the Spring warmth and rain, the weeds are growing fast and the difference is obvious. 

The key is the newspaper – but not on the ground as usually described in no-dig garden instructions. I put my newspaper layer on top of the compost and cover it with mulch. I do this because the newspaper:

  • stops weeds from the soil and compost layer
  • keeps moisture in the compost layer (dries out more on top of paper)
  • allows the soil organisms to access the compost more readily
  • enables roots of plants to go deeper (you make a hold in the paper and plant into compost below)

Take a look through this No Dig Gardening link from my blog to get more background information and see the step by step pictures on how to make a successful and simple no dig garden.  http://our-permaculture-life.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/morags-simple-successful-no-dig-garden.html

If you’d like more information about using newspaper, please check out this post too: http://our-permaculture-life.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/can-i-use-newspaper-in-my-garden.html

Happy Gardening!

5 Responses

  1. Melissa Gasson
    Melissa Gasson at |

    What great timing as i start to make way in my garden for new veggie beds. Thanks for the great tip. I look forward to months of weed free gardening!

  2. Debbie
    Debbie at |

    Hi Morag – Really enjoy your videos and blog posts. Just wondering what type of mulch you use?

  3. Jessica S
    Jessica S at |

    Dear Morag, thank you for putting up so much helpful information. Your garden is looking so beautiful. I can absolutely see the advantages of mulching. And it is easy to put mulch around plants of a certain size. But I normally grow plants from seeds, so what about freshly sown seedlings of salad and light-dependent germinators, such as carrots?

  4. Angela U
    Angela U at |

    Love your videos Morag – you have a wonderful delivery. I have flirted with no dig gardens on and off for about thirty years sometimes with good results sometimes a bit ho hum but I do always love to mulch – South Australian summers can be pretty brutal! My big problem is kikuyu grass it gets everywhere and I hate it! We inherited it as a lawn years ago and now I want it gone – I've tried smothering it,pouring boiling water on it but it always seems to win 🙁 Any suggestions please? Angela

  5. Anonymous
    Anonymous at |

    Thank you for taking the time to post this excellent video. I will certainly be scavenging all my friends' old newspapers from now on!!