Good mulch cuts your watering, smothers weeds and makes any garden bed look finished. Here's how to get it right.
How deep
Aim for 50–75mm. Thinner than that and weeds push straight through; much thicker and water struggles to reach the soil at all.
Always keep mulch pulled back a few centimetres from trunks and stems — piling it against them holds moisture where you don't want it and invites collar rot.
What to use
Hardwood chip or pine bark for general garden beds — it breaks down slowly and stays put on a slope.
Sugar cane or pea straw for veggie beds, where you actually want fast breakdown feeding the soil.
Decorative pebble for front-of-house strips and low-maintenance areas. It doesn't feed the soil, but it never needs topping up.
How often
Once a year for organic mulches, usually spring or autumn. Weed the bed properly first — mulching over established weeds only buys you a few weeks.
Why it's worth it
A properly mulched bed uses noticeably less water over a Melbourne summer, needs a fraction of the weeding, and instantly makes the whole garden look maintained — even before anything else is done.
Rather someone else did it?
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