How we rank these mulches

There are actually real world, practical differences in the common mulch varieties used in Australia gardens. In this article, I am going to rank eight popular mulch options, using four different categories.

1. Longevity: How long does the mulch hold its colour and appearance compared to other mulches?
2. Soil Moisture Retention: How well does the mulch help the soil retain water? The larger the particles/chips in the mulch, the better it is at retaining moisture (read here for more). For example, large particles like wood chips allow water to flow through freely to the soil, whereas smaller particles like grass clippings can absorb a lot of the water before it gets to the soil.
3. Soil Improvement: How much does this mulch help improve soil quality over time? All mulches are beneficial for the soil but some have increased beneficial effects.
4. Price Guide: How expensive is the mulch? This is a guide only as prices can fluctuate. Call your local supplier for a proper quote.

Please note: These rating are our opinions based on our experience having completed gardening services at thousands of locations throughout the suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. In addition, different mulch suppliers may have different levels of quality when comparing equivalent products, so take these ratings as a general guide.

Our Rankings In A Nutshell

Karri And Peat

Longevity: 8-9/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 3-5/10
Soil Improvement: 6-7/10
Price Guide: $110-$140 per M3

Made with Karri (and sometimes Jarrah) bark mixed with peat, Karri and Peat is the king of black mulches. It is the longest lasting black mulch and the extra peat can help improve soil quality.

However, this mulch has smaller particles which do have a negative effect on soil moisture retention. If your number one goal is to help your garden become water wise, Karri and Peat is not the mulch for you.

But, if your goal is a rich, dark, long lasting colour, then this is what you are looking for.

Budget Black Mulch

Longevity: 5-7/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 3-5/10
Soil Improvement: 5/10
Price Guide: $50-70 per M3

Black mulch does vary between suppliers (which is why our ratings vary) but it is often a budget mulch, dyed black with a small amount of peat. When it is freshly installed, it looks just as good as Karri and Peat, however, that look does not last anywhere near as long.

There can be a lot of fine particles in these mulches which makes them poor at moisture retention. Overall, our opinion is that this is not a good value for money option. If a black mulch is what you are looking for, in our experience, Karri and Peat is a better value for money option.

Pine Bark Mulch

Longevity: 7-9/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 8/10
Soil Improvement: 5/10
Price Guide: $130-$160 per M3

In my opinion, pine bark mulch is the best wood chip style mulch. Like other wood chip mulches, it has a large particle size which is great for moisture retention. In addition, it holds its colour better than any other mulch.

Whilst the price at face value seems expensive, it is actually very good value for money when you consider longevity. This is a great mulch for those who are looking for long term results and real moisture retention.

Wood Chip Mulch

Longevity: 5-6/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 8/10
Soil Improving: 5/10
Price Guide: $90-$110 per M3

Wood chip mulches, are great at retaining moisture because of their large particle size. It holds colour longer than the cheap mulches but are still at a fairly affordable price. But, in the the hot Australian summers, the wood chip style mulches can turn grey quite quickly.

This is a great middle of the road option.

Red Wood Chips

Longevity: 7-9/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 6-8/10
Soil Improvement: 5/10
Price Guide: $110-$135 per m3

Red wood chip mulches are essentially the same as standard wood chips mulches that have been dyed to give a vibrant red colour. The quality of mulch used does vary between suppliers. If a wood chip mulch had been used, there will be no noticeable difference in moisture retention and soil improvement compared to other wood chip options.

The problem is that when this colour fades, the mulch can look unappealing. In addition, it is quite a bit more expensive than standard wood chips. If you love the red colour then this is not a bad mulch to buy. However, be prepared for the extra cost and to lose the colour fairly quickly.

Economy Mulch

Longevity: 4-6/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 5-7/10
Soil Improvement: 4/10
Price Guide: $63 per M3

Economy mulch (will have different names for different suppliers) is often the cheapest mulch option at the local soil supplier. It is made as a byproduct of gardening and tree lopping waste that is left to age; this gives the mulch a nice dark colour.

Whilst economical and nice to look at, the fine particles in the mulch make it less effective at retaining moisture when compared to wood chip mulches. However, there can be a significant difference between suppliers and some batches/supplies do have a nice large particle size.

The longevity of colour is not great, but better than free mulch. All things considered, we do recommend these mulches as a good option for those on a budget.

Straw Mulches

Longevity: 3/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 10/10
Soil Improvement: 9/10
Price Guide: $240-$350 per M3 (Lupin Mulch bulk bag, prices will vary depending on size of bag)

Straw mulches like hay or lupin mulch are very high in nitrogen and are some of the best mulches for water retention. This is partly due to them having no small particles and partly because straw mulch is often applied at thicker rates (10-20cm) to other mulches (5-10cm).

The down sides to straw mulches is that they are the most expensive mulches on this list. In addition, they break down quickly, which is great for adding nitrogen to the soil, but the rate of replacement plus the expensive outlay makes this an unrealistic option for large gardens. They also may contain seeds from the plant the mulch is made from.

Straw mulches are best when applied in veggie patches and other small garden beds. On a larger scale, it is not a practical option.

Free Mulch (Tree Loppers Mulch)

Longevity: 3-5/10
Soil Moisture Retention: 5/10
Soil Improvement: 3-5/10
Price Guide: Free

Free wood mulches from tree lopping businesses are a great option if you are looking to do a large area on a budget but they do come with some issues.

1. It is very common to get much more mulch than you need. Your delivery is simply a truck of waste from tree looping jobs. You can rarely ask for an exact amount.
2. The quality of the mulch is very low, often filled with small sticks and leaves which can be unsightly.
3. The mulch is very fresh, so has a lighter colour than other wood chip mulches.
4. It goes grey very quickly in the Perth sun.
5. Whilst unlikely, there is a chance that free mulch may contain diseased trees and branches. This disease may spread to your plants if they are susceptible.

Whilst free mulch is very attractive to some on a budget, each person will need to know what they are signing up for before they make an order. I only recommend this mulch for very large areas where the budget is very tight.

Please note: Silverstone Gardening does not supply or lay free wood mulches to clients as we cannot guarantee the quality of the mulch or the results of our service. Our focus is to give our clients the highest quality service possible.

So, which mulch is best for Australian gardens? It depends on what you are looking for.

So, which mulch is best for WA gardens? Well, I can’t answer that for everyone, but I hope you now have the knowledge that you need to make the right decision for your garden.

If you still have any questions about mulches, or perhaps are wanting to find out about a style of mulch not listed here, then talk to your local soil and mulch supplier. There are plenty of knowledgeable and friendly mulch suppliers who will be able to help with your requests.

If you are looking for a service that can organise and complete your mulching job from start to finish, contact Silverstone Gardening today. We have qualified and experienced gardeners who can help identify and solve problems in your lawns and gardens. Mulch installation is just one of our services.

Contact our friendly admin team for a quote.

The post Which Mulch Is Best For Australian Gardens? appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

High quality wetting agents are a super power for WA lawn and garden lovers. If you want to see and understand how these products work, this video is for you:

A high quality wetting agent is essential if you are looking to make the most of the water you put on your lawns and gardens. If you can’t find Ralphy’s Refresh, look for a product that has both a penetrant and a retainer; that way you know the product will get the water down to the root zone and it will help keep it in the root zone for longer.

Where to buy?

Click here to purchase this product

More info on Ralphy’s Refresh

Ralphy’s Refresh is formulated by SACOA especially for Ralphy’s Lawn and Garden Supplies. Refresh is a 3-way action wetting agent which is formulated to suit Western Australia’s harsher climates and watering conditions. Furthermore, Refresh has been formulated to not only break through hydrophobic soils but also retain water in the soil for longer periods.

Key features

1. Maximises water and nutrient efficacy in all soil types, especially hydrophobic (non-wetting) soils
2. 3-way action – penetrant, attraction and retention components
3. Very high-quality retention agent with very strong retention capabilities
4. Has a low viscosity and is easy to mix
5. Promotes root growth and maximising the plant’s utilisation of nutrients
6. For use in all turf, nurseries and home garden situations
7. Easy to mix and apply and is safe for the environment
8. Will reduce the frequency of irrigation and hand watering to combat the issues of water loss

Application rates

For turf applications, apply 50-100mls per 100sqm monthly or as required. If you haven’t used a wetting agent previously or the soil is very sandy, we recommend an initial application rate of 100mls per 100sqm.

For garden applications, apply 35-50mls per 9L watering can over 3 to 5m2 and apply every 6 to 8 weeks

*Do not leave on the leaf if temperatures are or are expected to exceed 30 degrees celsius*

Mixing and Capabilities

Mixes readily with water. Add the required amount of Refresh to the desired amount of water and gently mix.

Refresh is compatible with most other treatments, however, conducting a jar test prior to application is advised.

The post The power of quality wetting agents appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

A year long calendar guide to help you with you watering.

The photos above are of my lawn. It’s a mix of common Kikuyu and Village Green Kikuyu with a basic reticulation setup. You can see how the lawn started and progressed in the pictures below.

Most people in Western Australia assume that to get these results, one needs to completely ignore the Water Corporation‘s sprinkler guidelines. Over-watering is wrongly assumed to be a necessary evil to get a beautiful lawn.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Believe it or not, these results came from using LESS water than allowed by the Water Corporation. Read on to discover the schedule I used.

Before we talk about the way I water for WA conditions, you will need to set your sprinklers up to get 10mm of water per station, per watering day. If you don’t know how to do this, this article I wrote will be of help. You will also need to understand how to make the most of your watering; more water does not always mean a better lawn (click here to learn more about that).

Once you have that understood, we can get to a month by month break down.

My Watering Calendar

• January: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm. A few sessions of hand watering may be needed if temperatures are regularly above 35 degrees. Apply a high quality wetting agent if needed.
• February: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm. A few sessions of hand watering may be needed if temperatures are regularly above 35 degrees. Apply a high quality wetting agent if one was not applied in January.
• March: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm for the first 2 weeks. Once a week for the rest of the month if needed.
• April: Sprinklers off. On occasion, one full watering day may be needed if there hasn’t been enough rain but this is unlikely.
• May: Sprinklers off.
• June: Sprinklers off.
• July: Sprinklers off.
• August: Sprinklers off.
• September: Sprinklers off.
• October: Watering a full 10mm but 1 day per week is typically enough. Up to 2 days may be required if temperatures are regularly over 30 degrees or if you see any wilting. Apply a high quality wetting agent and core aerate your lawn at the start of the month.
• November: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm.
• December: Watering 2 days a week, full 10mm. A few sessions of hand watering may be needed if temperatures are regularly above 35 degrees. Apply a high quality wetting agent at the start of the month.

Other things to consider

Please note that this is to be used as a guide only. Some months may be hotter and drier than expected, so use common sense if you see any signs or heat stress like wilting or discolouration. In addition, this schedule will not work if you have broken sprinklers or clogged reticulation. Regular driving on the lawn, infrequent mowing or bad fertiliser practices all may have additional negative impacts on the health of your lawn.

If all of this seems like too much work for you, we are here to help. Contact Silverstone Gardening to organise a quote from one of our experienced and qualified gardeners

The post Brilliant lawn without wasting water: a monthly watering guide for serious WA lawn lovers appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

Having a beautiful lawn and being water wise? It is possible.

Water is the most important aspect for anyone who wants a beautiful lawn, so checking your reticulation is the first priority of anyone who is wanting a beautiful, lush, green lawn.

The common mistake homeowners make

A lot of people have understood the WA Water Corp’s restrictions on homeowners to permit only 10 minutes of watering per station, per watering day. However, the truth is that it is a lot more than that. It’s actually 10mm of water per station, per watering day.

We have found this to be a great amount to maintain a beautiful, healthy lawn. The problem is that every house is different which means that there is no ‘one size fits all’ sprinkler run time; each person needs to work it out for themselves.

So how do you calculate exactly 10mm every time you water?

The answer is to measure your water usage by using free catch cups from your local retic shop.

Once you get some catch cups, place them on your lawn, run your sprinklers for 10 minutes to record how much water you collect. Use the following formula to find your perfect sprinkler run time:

[Sprinkler run time minutes] ÷ [mm of water collected] x 10 = [Correct sprinkler run time minutes]

So, for example, if you run your sprinklers for 10 minutes and collect 5mm of water, your formula should be 10÷5×10=20. For this example, 20 minutes of watering on the allocated watering days will give the perfect amount of water. Do this process on your lawn and repeat this process for every station.

If you still have any questions, watch this video below.

One more watering tip

Patchy water coverage will give a patchy lawn. Make sure your sprinklers are not blocked or damaged in any way.

Use the best quality sprinklers that you can afford as the higher quality sprinklers last longer and end up being better value for money.

Also remember that different sprinkler types may give different amounts of water so make sure you check your water usage over your whole lawn by placing your catch cups in several different spots.

If all of this seems too complicated or time consuming, contact Silverstone Gardening today. We have several retic experts available to help.

The post Your lawn needs water – here’s how you can give it the perfect amount appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

On the 1st of September 2022, WA bore users will have their watering days reduced from three days per week to two days per week. Is a 33% drop in water usage a huge mathematical reduction? Yes. However, will that drop in water use negatively affect the health and quality of your lawn? Not if you are smart about it.
Here are 4 reasons why the WA ‘bore ban’ will not hurt smart lawn lovers and 5 examples to give you hope for the coming summer.

1. Wetting agents make a bigger difference than most people think (up to 20%)

In 2016, trials in WA conditions showed that using wetting agents can significantly improve soil moisture by 19.9% five weeks after application. Wetting agent producer SACOA (the makers of BioWett, Ralphy’s Refresh and more) released these figures on their website.

The reality is that it doesn’t matter how much water you put on your lawn. What truly matters is how much of that water actually makes it down to the root zone where it is needed.

There are many WA homeowners who will be shocked to find out just how much of the water they put on their lawn is being lost to evaporation and run-off. In most cases, the regular use of a quality wetting agent alone could make such a positive difference that a third watering day would not be missed.

2. Regular aeration makes your roots go deeper

Aeration reduces soil compaction. This, in return, increases water and nutrient uptake into the soil (10-30%). In addition, a huge benefit to reducing soil compaction is an increased root system.

In 2013, researchers showed that the harder a soil is to penetrate (caused by soil compaction), the less roots there will be.

Deeper roots means there is more water and nutrient uptake. I believe that many lawn lovers in WA will get a more beautiful lawn from two days watering with aeration and wetting agents than three days of bore watering only.

3. Quality fertilisers increase root growth

Urea and other nitrogen-only fertilisers are overused in lawn care. Whilst they cause beautiful green colour and increase leaf growth, they have no benefit at all for the roots or the stress-tolerance of your lawn.

Complete, high quality fertilisers (like WA-produced Baileys and Eco Growth) have a balanced blend of macro and micro nutrients that will help your lawn grow healthier, not just greener. The results of regularly using these high quality products will be a more drought and stress-tolerant lawn, even with reduced watering days.

4. Less frequent, more effective watering produces healthier roots and a more drought-tolerant lawn

The more frequently a lawn is watered, the less need there is for the lawn to send down roots deeper into the soil. This results in a shallow root system.

The more shallow the roots, the more susceptible the lawn is to heat and drought stress. This is because soil on or close to the surface is more likely to experience evaporation, temperature change and drying out.

Consequently, the roots in these surface areas are more likely to become stressed and damaged. If too many roots are in these areas, the result will be a stressed or even dying lawn.

Deeper roots are shielded from these problems; this results in healthier, happier lawns during hot spells.

5 examples of great lawns on two watering days a week

I wanted to finish by giving some hope to WA residents. Whilst we could write about lawn care for days and explain the pros and cons of each service, I thought it would be simpler to just show the results.

Here are five lawns. Kikuyu, Couch and Buffalo lawns to show that success isn’t grass specific. All these lawns are on two days a week watering, these photos have been taking between October and May not during the winter months. All of these lawns are maintained by Silverstone Gardening and have received all the services mentioned above. The results speak for themselves.

There will be some WA gardeners who will be hurt by this decision but it won’t be the smart and proactive lawn lovers.

If reading this article seemed like too much effort, too complicated or you just want some help, contact us today.

Click here to find out what our clients have to say about Silverstone Gardening!

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The post The data-driven reasons why the WA ‘bore ban’ will not hurt smart lawn lovers appeared first on Silverstone Gardening.

In the lead up to writing this article I came to realise that the plant that I am about to write about is without a doubt one of the most underrated plants in Australian gardens. The Wattle is in a league of its own as a plant that is:

• Bird attracting
• Fast growing
• Has beautiful flowers
• Is water wise
• Comes in many shapes and sizes
• Is tolerant of most conditions
• Takes little maintenance
• Has its own national day
• Is the basis of an entire countries sporting colours (green and gold)
• And is the national floral emblem of Australia.

Talk about an impressive resume. So if you are thinking about planting a Wattle in your garden this National Wattle day (September 1^st) then here is what you need to know about one of the world most amazing and underrated plants.

The Basics

The genus Acacia is part of the Mimosaceae family which has almost 1000 species in Australia alone. These species can vary dramatically from the dwarf varieties to 15-meter-high trees.

Wattles are fast growers and the yellow flowers come in either tiny tennis ball-like pompoms or arranged in cylindrical spikes. Three popular varieties are the dwarf Acacia “limelight”, Acacia Vestita and Acacia Pycnantha which is the Australian floral emblem.

What to do before planting

Wattles are fast growers and most are around 2-3 meters high so you need to take that into consideration before driving down to your local nursery. Once you have bought your plant position it in a spot that has plenty of sunlight, a well drained soil and plenty of room to grow. Wattles will not need a lot of encouragement to grow so fertiliser isn’t necessary but a nice deep hole with some compost of manure at the bottom of is certainly won’t hurt.

What to do after planting

Wattles will need watering until they are established but after that natural rainfall will most likely be enough. Pruning helps keep wattles bushy and prolongs their life but stay away from pruning anything thicker then the size of a pencil. A light prune after flowering should do the trick, if you are experiencing die back then raise the crown by removing the bottom branches to let some light into the base.

The easy way to grow from seeds!

Wattles are relatively easy to grow from seeds, which is great considering that some wattles only have a life expectancy of around 7-12 years. To propagate from seed

1. Place seeds in a cup of boiling water and let them sit for 30 seconds
2. Pour out the hot water and place the seeds in cold water for 12 hours. This will allow the seeds to swell over that time.
3. After 12 hour simply remove any seeds that have not swollen and immediately plant the remaining seeds into a pot or punnet containing seed raising soil.
4. Keep in a warm sunny spot and water enough to keep the soil damp. That’s it!

Which variety of wattle should I choose?

So, if you are considering a wattle there is only one questions left. Which variety of wattle should I choose?

Each house and setting is different. So I think the best solution will be to take some photos of the area you want to plant your wattle in, head down to your local nursery and ask the nursery expert what variety would best suit your needs.

But here are three popular varieties to give you some ideas

Acacia cognata Limelight

Beautiful flowing foliage. A great plant for modern gardens. Grows 1m wide and 0.5-1m high. Loves full sun to part shade.

Acacia lasiocarpa prostrate

Called the “glow wattle” because of the masses of golden fluffy flowers. Grows 1m wide and around 1.5m high. Loves full sun to part shade.

Acacia drummondii

A large, beautiful shrub with stunning flowers. Grows 2m high and 2m wide. Loves full sun to part shade.

If reading this has got you excited about wattles but you want a professional to help you with your wattles (or anything else in your lawns and gardens) contact Silverstone Gardening today. We have experienced and qualified gardeners who will be able to help you.

Here’s more information about Wattles!

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