[adri123]

Hi

I'm about to plant a climbing rose near a west facing wall.  I'd like to put chippings around the plant once in place but I think this would be bad for the long term health of the soil.

What mulch would you use?

Preferably one that is going to add health/nutrients to the soil and benefit the rose.

TIA

Adri

[sunshineband]

First thing would be to make sure that the ground is good and damp: here we have had little rain and the soil is pretty dry... any mulch on dry soil is not good!

If available I would use something likely to last a while, and it needs to look good too. A layer of well rotted manure, not touching the stem itself, covered with woodchip of bark chippings would do a good job imho

[gobs]

Cocoa shell mulch. Not cheap, but good and nice and lasts for a few years.

[adri123]

After doing a bit of reading I'd like to try the idea of using the mulch to put nutrients into the soil so I'll go for the manure topped with bark/chippings.

I'm just concerned that I don't end up putting something on that sucks out nitrogen rather than putting it in.

Cheers

Adri