Fall is here in the northern hemisphere and it's a great time for mulching! Mulching now comes with some big benefits but also some downsides. Let's dive into them.
Benefits of Fall Mulching
Fall tends to mark the return of the rains here in western Washington. If it's similar in your area then mulching can help protect the soil from the rain.
Rain falling on bare soil can cause erosion, soil compaction, and wash away nutrients that are vital for your plants and you.
With climate change resulting in more rain in the fall and winter in my area I always make sure to cover bare soil with mulch.
But mulching during the wet time of the year also helps to ensure that fungi and other beneficial critters move into the mulch and start breaking it down into rich soil.
The fall is also when grasses start to slow down on their way to winter dormancy. I find I have less issues with grass pushing through my sheet-mulch when I mulch in the fall compared to spring mulching.
Mulching in the fall also works great for preparing land for planting in the spring. You can sheet mulch the existing vegetation like grass and by spring it should all be broken down.
Downsides of Fall Mulching
As much as I love mulching in the fall there are some downsides.
For one while it's great for spring planting it won't help you prepare land for fall planting. Spring mulching works better for fall planting.
But you can still mulch around the plants you plant in the fall. I will be doing this with 7 fruit trees I just ordered. But the grass or other existing vegetation will still be there.
If you live somewhere that freezes in the fall it could be hard to work with frozen mulch. Leaves, straw and woodchips all stick together in big clumps when frozen. So be careful about the timing depending on where you live.
Finally, there is just less daylight to finish your work. Mulching in the dark is not fun but I find I'm often doing it just because it gets dark too early! This is more an issue towards winter but just last night I was out in the dark about 8:00pm finishing up some mulching.
What About You?
So what about you? Do you like to mulch in the fall? Or is spring and summer a better fit for you?
I have a ton of mulching to do this fall to get rid of the last of my old lawn and get it ready for future planting.
I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on fall mulching.
Thank you!
P.S. Don't forget one more great reason to mulch in the fall... fall leaves!
Mulching in fall is better where I live. Everything gets wet and muddy unless covered with the fresh wood pieces.
Very true--same here. I have much less issues with having too much water where I mulch.
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We're in Spring down under, which is also an excellent time to mulch
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We need to in order to keep the moisture in the soil... 😉 I think we're gonna get a dry one this summer. Where are you in Oz?
SA, I'm Gawler. And you?
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Gawler!! Sweet. Melbs. Right in the heart of it. Missing the wide open spaces, tbh. I have very good friends that live around Gumeracha, and regularly go visit. Haven't explored the northern parts that much.... love that part of the world though. I have seriously considered moving there.
It's a nice place. Gumeracha is great too. If you're ever over this way feel free to drop by
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Yeah, I mulch then too but I do find that sometimes the plants I'm trying to suppress can be a bit too vigorous making it hard successfully mulch them. But it does not stop me from mulching in the spring! :)
I mulch in the autumn if I can find the mulch. This year I have a lot, so I am mulching like crazy, both bark mulch on walkways and hay mulch in other places. If I had been able to be on top of things, I'd have cleared off a couple gardens and gotten green mulch down, but alas...
Nice! In my area wood chips and fall leaves tend to be the easiest for me to get but my parents like to use hay/straw mulch. Good luck with your mulching!
Indeed it is a good time. Such as in nature. In nature, the trees in a forest drop their leaves, covering the ground. This covering protects the enormous ecosystem that lives below the soil....the beneficial bugs, the beneficial bacteria and fungi, and the seeds the trees dropped. It's a closing of a circle so to speak. We top our beds off in fall too.
Very good point! :) Mimicking nature tends to always workout well. On cold nights at my place the mulch freezes but the soil stays relatively warm and the critters stay active under the frozen mulch. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for sharing this valuable information!
Thank you! :) Glad to hear you found it useful!
Having never lived any place where things get frozen in winter.... does mulching help keep a bit of heat in the soil or anything like that? Do you get freezing where you are?
It really depends on the level of freezing. It does freeze here on and off every winter but not for long. Generally, the mulch freezes but below the mulch the soil stays nice and relatively warm and worms stay active. I have never had my soil freeze where I apply a good layer of mulch.
It makes your garden look great. Also, I find similar benefits in my own.
Very true! Freshly mulching a site does make it look good. Thanks for the comment!