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Post by Cherry on Jan 11, 2012 7:08:36 GMT
Yesterday when I was digging in a mainly shrub bed in a border, I moved piles of dead leaves and found lots of bulbs and hemerocallis already well up. Some gardeners advocate clearing these up, some never get around to it (like me) and we all believe in mulch with compost I think. What is the definitive answer to leaving the debris or mulching?
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Post by steve on Jan 11, 2012 7:36:55 GMT
I would think the tips of these plants/bulbs would be a bit blanched or more tender underneath this mulch and as we have to be due for some good frosts yet which might damage the tips I would think keep in place, but if the next few days are still going to be mild then it will give them a chance to green up in the light....politicians answer ;D
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Post by Cherry on Jan 11, 2012 7:54:14 GMT
That has answered the problem as it has ocurred right now thank you Steve, but what about the beginning of the winter season. Which is best?
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Post by hywel on Jan 11, 2012 8:10:42 GMT
I'm one of those who never get round to it. My excuse is that it will rot away naturally like it does in the woods and hedgerows. Maybe I should try and clear it away incase of it harbouring diseases, but I never seem to be able to get round to it. A few days ago I moved a big pot, only to find a clump of snowdrops, all yellow and leggy, under it. I left them exposed. Don't know if I should have covered them with something.
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Post by grindle on Jan 11, 2012 8:57:19 GMT
most years I leave mine alone, this year I am clearing it because it has been so wet it has got very soggy and will add to the slug and snail problem even more which I can well do without
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Post by Rosie on Jan 11, 2012 9:38:02 GMT
I had said i was going to mulch all my new plants to protect them from the harsh winter, i didn't do it i forgot all about it till i read this thread, luckily the winter has not been bad so far. But generally i just let the plants get on with it...no mulch no nowt ;D
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Post by Geranium on Jan 11, 2012 12:30:10 GMT
most years I leave mine alone, this year I am clearing it because it has been so wet it has got very soggy and will add to the slug and snail problem even more which I can well do without I find far too many snails lurking under leaves, so I remove as many as I can in the autumn.
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Post by steve on Jan 11, 2012 12:38:21 GMT
I do mulch but then I have many borderline plants that benefit from it ...4 types of Gunnera, Melianthus, Tree dahlia etc etc etc ;D
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Post by peony on Jan 11, 2012 13:18:48 GMT
I think it depends how thick the layer of leaves is and where they are. If a thick layer of soggy leaves are left covering flowering plants they can damage the plant underneath. I clear all the flowerbeds of leaves but don't bother about those under the shrubs. I never have sufficient mulch to do all the beds so I just spread it around mainly the roses and clematis, the rest of the plants get pelleted chicken manure once a year
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