Spring is just around the corner, and there is a simple way to ensure your flowers are as healthy as possible once the weather gets warmer in the next few weeks.
Flowers such as roses are currently dormant but will begin growing again once the temperature consistency reaches 10C around the beginning of March.
Liz Zorab, a gardener and co-owner of Byther Farm, has shared a simple way to help plants grow without putting in more effort is to make sure your flowerbeds have been mulched.
Mulching is the gardening practice of putting a layer of organic material on top of the soil around a plant which will break down to add more nutrients to the ground.
She said: “When you use an organic matter on the ground, all the nutrients return to the soil. Mulches can be, for example, wood chips, homemade compost, straw, hay, newspaper or leaf mould.
“Because worms do what worms do, they will come up from the soil. They will take the mulch layer down, incorporate and mix it into the soil and it will improve the soil.”
Why mulch roses?
Mulching is an easy way to help plants grow stronger and improve soil health without having to spend ages in the garden.
Adding mulch to your flower beds helps the soil retain moisture for longer, which means you do not have to water the plants as often.
It also helps suppress weeds as it smothers them when they attempt to grow, so you will also not have to spend your weekend pulling up these pesky plants.
What can you use to mulch?
Wood chips and glass clippings tend to be some of the best mulches to use as they slowly break down so it will a long time before you have to reapply the mulch.
Both wood chips and grass clippings are nitrogen-rich which is great for plant growth to help your flowers produce bigger and more abundant blooms once spring arrives.
Liz said: “There’s a whole host of materials that can be used as mulches, one of my favourites is wood chips and these will break down over time and be highly water attentive.
“Another mulch that I like to use is grass clippings as long as the grass hasn’t been treated with weedkiller. Grass clippings do an amazingly good job at keeping the ground moist.”
How to mulch roses for healthier blooms
All you need to do is first prepare the ground around your rose bushes by getting rid of any weeds and giving the soil a good watering.
The best time to mulch is easily spring after the last frost when flowers are just beginning to grow again.
Then spread a five to 10-centimeter layer of mulch around your roses, making sure to keep the material away from the plant stems.
When applying mulch try to avoid putting any directly on the roses or around the base of the plant as it can prevent water and sunlight from reaching the roots.
Spread an even layer of mulch around the roses and avoid a thick pile-up, as they can encourage rot or pests.
Top up the mulch every few months, and your roses will start the year much healthier and more likely to produce more flowers.
