what do you think about sugar cane mulch?

18 years ago

is it any good for vegie gardens?

Am thinking of including it as part of adding organic matter to the vegie patch (see previous posts on "weird soil" if you like), just wondering if others have used it, or do they prefer tried and true lucerne or pea straw?

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Comments (6)

mistymorn
18 years ago
I think it is marvelous as it breaks down into the soil..May be a bit expensive for use down your way as I only pay $20 for a huge round of it probably equal to about 20 bales.

I would go for the lucerne myself its the best as I use that for my special plants but at $8:50 for a bale of spoilt lucerne from the nearest produce store here I don't buy it often.....Best to buy what is the most available in your area that way its the cheapest..Cheers...MM.
The_Grub
18 years ago
Hi Ashke,
I've been using both for about three years now.

Lucerne is very rich and breaks down quickly, much loved by worms. It's the double cream of mulches and dry-soil improvers. Quite high in N.

Sugarcane Mulch also rocks, but is much slower to break down. Has 1 per cent N, according to award-winning nurseryman in my area. I love it for tomatoes as it provides a moisture retentive barrier for longer than lucerne and isn't quite so rich. The Light White of mulches, but nowhere near as good a soil improver.

Cheers, Grub.
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HI HJ I have a very thick layer on S C Mulch on my garden beds and it has not broken down yet, did you buy that expensive bale around $10 from you know where. We go down to Jacobs Wells Way with the trailer and buy a Round for $15-$20. We have been down twice lately as I have lots of garden beds. I reckon there would be about 25 bales in a Round well worth the trip only a few dollars for petrol also there are lovely beaches down that way. I am surprised that it has broken down so fast, the lucerne I had on the roses first didn't last long, and I find the SC Mulch is so much better and cheaper, as the lucerne has too many seeds in it and I am forever pulling out weeds. I wont waste my money on that again. I complained to the produce store and they said thats the way we get it. Len us city dwellers, cannot buy those things cheap they cost more than SC Mulch, a mouldy bale of spoilt lucerne down the Produce Store is $8:95 a compress bale of SC Mulch cost a little more but you get twice as much, a bale of SC Mulch down south cost $3 but it is smaller, so you can see why we use it. Cheers..MM.
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ashke
Original Author
18 years ago
thanks misty...I've recently seen it for about $12 for a bale of chopped mulch...probably need 3-4 for my smallish bed (6m x 3m)
Mabb
18 years ago
I've just discovered it.... I love the fact that it's mulched up small and quite fine so it makes a great mat when you use it as mulch. Shame it's so pricy.

We went to the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo last weekend and saw a product from Moama made of peanut straw that was also mulched up fine. Cheaper than the sugar cane but similar feel. I don't know about the nutrient value tho.

We're definitely geting a mulcher so we can do the same to the cheaper lucerne hay.
paradisi
18 years ago
absolutely magnificent - tho the organic gardeners don;t like it because of all the stuff put into growing the cane originally. I don't care - it's excellent

I've put down six or eight round bales since I moved in and changed a clay mud patch that struggled to grow grass into something approaching a garden.

BTW ashke - where are you getting it from in SA?
ashke
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi paradisi, the only place I've seen it available is at Bunnings, but I was very interested in it as it's often mentioned in various gardening shows.

I can't however find those great roll bales; seems to be only available in a plastic wrapped normal bale size package

mabb...I also have been thinking about getting a mulcher, as I often have heaps of trimmings from various perennials, shrubs etc, as well as leaf fall and the occasional small branch from the huge gum tree out the back

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what do you think about sugar cane mulch?

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mistymorn

The_Grub

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what do you think about sugar cane mulch?

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mistymorn

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