How to Make Your Own Mulch and Why It Matters

Mulch: it’s a funny word, isn’t it?  As a word, ‘mulch’ sounds dark, damp and slightly squidgy… which just about sums up what a good mulch should be like, too!  It’s perhaps not one of gardening’s more glamorous jobs but it is one of the best things you can do for your garden.  And it’s something you can do using materials that you probably already have on hand.

Why Mulch?

Whenever it’s dry or windy, the top layer of your soil can lose moisture quickly.  Adding a good layer of mulch over the top acts like a ‘protective blanket’, helping to:

* Retain moisture, so you need to water less

* Reduce weed growth, by blocking light to them

* Regulate soil temperature, keeping roots cooler

* Add nutrients, as it breaks down (depending on the material you choose)

* Improve soil structure over time

Mulching also creates a nice, healthy environment for beneficial soil organisms, like worms and microbes, which in turn support healthy plant growth.

What Can I Make Mulch From?

Of course, we sell a wide range of products that would make an ideal, ready-made mulch.  You could use some bark chippings, top soil or compost, the contents of last year’s used grow-bags or even decorative pebbles.  (Pebbles won’t have the same benefits to soil structure or biology, of course, but they will provide shade and water retention).  Have a browse of our ‘ready made’ mulches here.

But, if you fancy having a go at making your own, many everyday garden and household items can be repurposed.  Here’s a rundown of some of the most useful:

Grass clippings: Ideal for vegetable beds, but don’t apply too thick a layer or it may go slimy.

Homemade Compost: Well-rotted compost makes a rich mulch for flower beds and borders. (Find our blog on making your own compost here).

Leaf mould: Perfect for woodland plants; just collect autumn leaves, store them over winter in dustbin bags to let them break down before spreading in the spring.

Shredded prunings: Run small branches through a garden shredder for a woody mulch.

Straw or hay: Great for allotments or veg patches; helps protect soil from being washed away by rain and helps keep fruit clean (especially strawberries).

Newspaper or cardboard: A good weed suppressant layer under other mulch materials. Make sure it’s ink-free and plain.

Crushed concrete or brick: We were interested to read in “Which” magazine (Jul/Aug 2025 issue) of experiments conducted by Tom Brown, the head gardener at West Dean Gardens in West Sussex, with using a mix including crushed concrete as a mulch.  He noticed that it has moisture-holding properties during the summer yet is free-draining during times of heavy rainfall.  Tom found that the plants grown in this grew more slowly and in a more compact way but with less weeds.  Now it’s not something we have tried, and you’d have to be happy with how it looked, but it’s certainly a cost-effective option to consider.

How to Apply Mulch

Firstly, weed the area you want to mulch.  You don’t want to give the benefits of your mulch to any weeds trapped underneath it!  Unless it’s been raining, it’s good to give the soil a good watering, too.  It will ensure there is some moisture under there for the mulch to retain.

With your preparation done, spread your chosen mulch in a layer around 5–10 cm (2-4 inches) thick.  Don’t mulch right up to the trunks or stems of your plants; leave a little air circulation gap of a few centimetres just to ensure any nasty bugs don’t get trapped in.

Your mulch will quietly sit doing its job all season long.  Just reapply it when it starts to look a little thin or at the beginning of the next growing season. 

A Greener Garden: Eco Bonus!

Home-made mulch helps reduce green waste, cuts down on the need for plastic-bagged soil products and supports a thriving, natural garden ecosystem. It’s a low-effort habit that pays off big time, and in more ways than one!