Last year was the hottest summer on record in Australia. This year is shaping up to beat last years dubious record.
Many communities are still on water restrictions, with the promise of worse to come.
Gardeners who have planned in advance, preparing their soils with plenty of organic materials did best last year in the heat.
Healthy organic soils with all the associated organisms and your diligence of care, help maintain your garden in all weather conditions.
Mulches suppress weeds when the mulch material itself is applied deeply enough to prevent weed germination or smother existing smaller weeds. An occasional weed may poke through the mulch, but it can be easily pulled out.
Mulch materials have many beneficial effects upon the soil and plants. They prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation. Moisture moves by capillary action to the surface and evaporates if not covered by a mulch. Mulching will prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving absorption and percolation of water into the -soil and at the - same time, eliminating erosion.
Maintenance of a more uniform -soil temperature can be obtained by mulching. The mulch acts as an insulator that keeps the -soil cool under intense -sunlight and warm during cold -spells.
Mulches also add to the beauty of the landscape by providing a cover of uniform color and interesting texture to an otherwise drab surface. Dark colored mulches widen the pupil of the eye, allowing more of the sensible light from flowers to enter the eye. Consequently, those dark mulches give plantings a more attractive appearance.
Here hammer milled bark is perfect. Click the link for further information:
Soil texture is a term commonly used to designate the proportionate distribution of the different sizes of mineral particles in a soil. It does not include any organic matter. These mineral particles vary in size from those easily seen with the unaided eye to those below the range of a high-powered microscope. According to their size, these mineral particles are grouped into "separates."
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