The importance of using mulch and saving seeds

Protecting our soil with mulch helps us grow healthy plants, allowing us to save seeds from the heirloom varieties we treasure. Although just two of the organic essentials we live by here at OG, both are a part of a process that leads to a more diverse and healthy garden.

Mulch

Not so long ago, if you couldn’t source your own mulch, it was hard to find certified organic mulches at garden centres. Mulch, whether straw, sugar cane, lucerne, and shredded wood and bark chips, are now recognised for the multiple benefits they bring to garden soil and plants.

By covering the soil surface, mulch reduces moisture loss through evaporation, allowing plants to thrive for longer between watering and rain events. A cover of mulch also suppresses weeds naturally by burying weed seeds and blocking their access to sunlight, inhibiting their germination. Over time, organic mulch breaks down, adding a valuable source of organic matter that nourishes beneficial soil organisms and enhances soil structure.

Different mulches serve various purposes:

• Straw and sugar cane mulch are lightweight and decompose quickly, making them ideal for using on vegetable gardens that demand the greatest fertility.
• Nutrient rich lucerne increases nitrogen and potassium levels in the soil and is ideal for enriching poor soils and boosting fertility in the vegie patch.
• Shredded wood and bark chips are slower to breakdown and will provide longer lasting benefits and steady soil improvement around fruit trees and ornamentals.

Check out these products:

• Neutrog Whoflungdung: neutrog.com.au
• Rocky Point Organic Sugar Cane Mulch or Lucerne Mulch: rockypoint.com.au

Saving seeds

Choosing to buy organic seeds from plants cultivated without synthetic chemicals aligns with our commitment to nurturing a cleaner, greener environment for all. Growing treasured heirloom vegetable varieties that are naturally open-pollinated, allows us to save our own viable seeds from season to season. This practice not only cuts costs but also promotes self-sufficiency, reduces our ‘seed miles’ and builds plant resilience. Each generation saved becomes better adapted to local conditions, leading to plants that thrive in our gardens with less intervention. By preserving heirloom seeds, we also help to maintain a diverse gene pool in our communities essential for crop resilience against diseases and climate changes.

Check out these suppliers:

• Diggers Club: diggers.com.au
• The Seed Collection: theseedcollection.com.au
• Organic Seeds Australia: organicseedsaustralia.com.au

Organic essentials

Committing to a chemical-free gardening approach has become easier with the variety of certified organic products available today. From nutrient-rich composts to gentle pest control solutions, each product category offers natural alternatives that can replace synthetic products. Look for logos on labels that indicate products are certified organic, but in cases where these options aren’t available, naturally derived alternatives are the next best choice to keep our gardens healthy.

You’ll find more organic essentials from Phil in our Summer 2205 issue (OG 154). You can get a copy here.