What Happens When You Use Mulch in the Garden?

This video shows what happens when you use mulch in the garden such as grass clippings, sugarcane, woodchip, poultry litter, cardboard, and even general garden waste.
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Self Sufficient Me is based on our small 3-acre property/homestead in SE Queensland Australia about 45kms north of Brisbane - the climate is subtropical (similar to Florida). I started Self Sufficient Me in 2011 as a blog website project where I document and write about backyard food growing, self-sufficiency, and urban farming in general. I love sharing my foodie and DIY adventures online so come along with me and let's get into it! Cheers, Mark :)

[@anthonytaylor2524]

I dont even garden this man is just too entertaining.

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

Dude you should, though!😂😂😂

[@boomboom7364]

@@RunninUpThatHillh For real tho

[@exzobree9158]

He is indeed an entertainer. He is like Steve Irwin but gardening!

[@allyfinna]

Same here!

[@Alexander-Vipermad]

@Anthony Taylor Why are you still here? Havent you got some MULCHING to do!?

[@JRocklover97]

Come on big mulch companies! Sponsor this man!

[@No7Dumb]

A garden centre needs to help him out

[@renegadefunkstar]

Don’t sell out to Big Mulch man... you can take our mulch, but you can never take our FREEDOM!!!

[@nathanwooldridge85]

Haha, Looks like they did!

[@ashleyringrose2760]

Did he get a sponsorship??!

[@rogerthornhill1491]

Big Pharma, big tech, big mulch. Can’t trust them! 😀

[@Angelofexecution]

I don't have a garden and I don't have much of a green thumb, but seeing this guy just makes you want to try it out some day.

[@benwarman5202]

Angelofexecution it’s really fun and honestly not that hard. There is work involved like pulling weeds and watering but it’s easily worth it

[@debmccudden242]

Try something in a pot to start with . Can do it even if you don't have a garden that way

[@barbt.1171]

You will never have a chance to try it at any younger age - so try it very soon. 👍😎 Besides, it taste better than the store stuffs because you can pick it ripe, not picked green and force ripened. 🙂 yum.

[@teachatami45]

Angelofexecution yesss he makes me want to run off too Australia to mulch lollll

[@zaraecp1700]

Try some cut and come again lettuce on a windowsill! Easy and fun ☺️ a great way to get into growing your own!

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

Mulch is the magic ingredient that many home gardeners haven’t heard of... it’s wonderful stuff!

[@potatopewpew4719]

Honestly I have no intention of ever starting a garden, but I like hearing this guy talk about it. You can hear the excitement and passion in his voice and I enjoy it.

[@Semper_Fish]

Don't you just love the chemical lawn spray ad before a video about gardening! It's just as thrilling as getting an ad about a new casino before a gambling addiction video.

[@H3xx99]

KZbin Premium is a beautiful thing.

[@H3xx99]

@@ManawatuFlyFishing Doesn't work on Android. Plus Premium has bonus content and you can play in background.

[@Selfsufficientme]

@@H3xx99 I have to agree with you - YT Premium has improved my viewing experience 10 fold and it's not bad value either! Cheers :)

[@s.c7639]

I thought everyone abhorred ads. I use the skip button. Damned ads. Use saved time to collect free mulch your dum-dum neighbors put to curb. 💩

[@boomboom7364]

How about that smh

[@desertblade1874]

Mulch is my trick to grow in the harsh environment of the gulf region otherwise the soil will be as dry as biscuits, it saves a lot in water too 👍

[@svetlanikolova7673]

mulching absorbs water combined with compost. It saved my land from landslides. What takes thousands to make a supporting concrete wall, I did for 10 USD.

[@jadealexander5659]

This is my absolute favorite channel on KZbin right now, I’m on a watching binge! You are entertaining and very informative; I love how you actually show all you’re doing and even take the time to show it weeks or months away so we can see what happens! Thank you ✨

[@Mr2012Drum]

Appreciated this video very mulch!

[@Mr2012Drum]

Mulches gracious!

[@aviksarkar8494]

Thank you very mulch

[@SweetChicagoGator]

This is Mark's passion and he is always enthusiastic, entertaining, and informative. 🤗 Much admiration for this hard-working mate ! 💓

[@Palalune]

"We're coming into winter and I'm hoping to grow a ton of tomatoes". I almost feel like you're making fun of me, living in the Alps ;-) Thanks for another great video :-)

[@Selfsufficientme]

It does sound a bit odd trying to grow toms in "winter" - true. Our winters can get below zero C and also produce the odd frost so growing tomatoes isn't without risk but usually we get a good crop. Thank you :)

[@constancemiller3753]

I live in Alberta, Canada. Winter is when we grow layers. 🙄☃️

[@mclovin9151]

I wish I knew all these mulch in garden benefits yesterday when this lady had me take out all the mulch my crew laid down onto her 20x15 foot garden bed

[@robertherdman2219]

It's so nice to see gardeners encouraging others to grow. Being retired I've now acquired a small green house and I also have raised beds. When I was a boy I helped my grandmother in the garden with her beautiful flower beds. I've never forgotten her saying to me "I talk to my flowers" , Listen to The Voice of Nature, no matter what your station in life.

[@rm709]

Although I will never have a garden the likes of yours, it really is inspiring to see how much work and effort you put into your land and these videos! Thank you kindly and best of growing to you!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thank you! And I'm sure you will agree that you don't need a large property to grow plenty of food for a family. All the best :)

[@kendrabean606]

I just went out and mulched!

[@adsensedd]

Gardening Australia should hire you. Better segments than most of what they show these days.

[@terriesmith8219]

I needed this video about mulch. I've just planted a few fruit trees and vegetables but have not mulch them yet so this video came perfectly timed. Thank you!

[@jeffreycurtis9075]

Go Terrie!!

[@stevenguevara2184]

This must be how a miner feels when he discovers gold. Your presentation is perfect. Your info priceless. Muchos gracias from San Diego, CA

[@zemtek420]

I use mulch on my garden all the time. My plants grow huge. Last year I had tomato trees. They grew about 7 feet tall.

[@anselmkyle1216]

Sometimes I think a grave yard can make a good garden, thumbs up to this man!!!

[@donaldgreen7471]

I think you just talked me into starting a garden, haven't had one in years. Thanks for the motivation 🍺

[@grannybearsgarden]

I’ve only recently found your channel, but I’m really enjoying your videos. Many of your tips will work well in my area of northeast Oklahoma.

[@chmchn]

I wish KZbin allowed us to post the pictures of the big difference you've made in our garden. My tomatoes, eggplants and mini-pines love you, dude.

[@user-mo4mm1yn6q]

Send it to him in Facebook. He's very busy though so don't get down if he doesn't reply.

[@dangus6934]

I had a 1/4 bag of mulch that was forgotten for over a year and i decided to use it. When I opened it , it was mostly millipede/worm castings... one of the best fertilizers I've seen. Now on I'm a mulch-guy. I put mulch on every plant in my garden!

[@d.d.mccarthy]

God bless you Mark. You are an inspiration for all of us! 😍

[@antoniorobles3498]

FACTS !!!!

[@rosewood513]

The first 10 years of growing veggies I mulched with grass clippings only no fertilizer. I had the best garden less plants and most veggies. Then I hired someone to mow the grass and my garden suffered terribly. My garden guy passed away last year so now I mow and collect the grass again. My garden is much better again... I guess ignorance is bliss. I will never stop the grass clippings. I am rolling in much since I have great grass.... Thanks for the video.....

[@DavidMHeck]

Spot on - the following is from our farm's (RocK Meadow Farm, Union, CT, USA) gardening tips: Mulch mulch mulch! - Plant a row, mulch a row, move on to the next. Don’t be tempted to plant everything, then mulch later. Somehow it doesn’t happen and then you’ll need to weed before mulching. Mulching your plants is the single best thing you can do for both them and yourself. When the temperature is cool mulch will help retain warmth in the soil, while in hot weather it helps protect the plants from overheating. In dry weather it helps retain moisture, either from rain or from watering. The most important thing about mulch is that it keeps down weeds reducing the amount of weeding necessary. For most gardeners weeding is the most time consuming, labor intensive task. Lack of timely weeding and subsequent weed growth is the reason for most garden failures.

[@plantingonpoint8365]

Mulch works great on strawberries too, retains the water very good! keeps the fruit from rotting aswell.

[@dorothymcgee2217]

Another house that I owned, I'd put grass clipping directly over the plants and had a beyond double harvest. No compost pile, but directly put in. I had the best harvest in a drought than I ever had. My new home, I've been lack due to losing my husband. I'm planning on keeping a video diary on my new gardening endeavors to see if I can still do what I used to. And I'm watching a lot of videos to update my skills, and your channel is a great influence, even if you're not in the USA. Thank you for what your do, and please keep posting!!!!

[@SoulBotanicalFarm]

I just added wood chips in my garden and I live in zone 9B Central Florida and it makes a ton of difference because the store was drying out fast and stressing the plants out. Now I don't have to water everyday and they're not stressed when I get home.

[@nancywebb6549]

When I had chickens I spread my cuttings and bed cleanings in the chicken house. The chickens loved to scratch through it and break it up, contributing their rich droppings making the mulch wonderful!

[@mikelangdon2534]

Always stick a bit of lawn clippings on top of my raise beds. Worked well so far!

[@renegadefunkstar]

Mikey Pop I’ve started chucking lawn clippings into a dry hot concrete area about 2m x 1m, and spreading them out. Dried in about 2 weeks, much much better mulch, and can go straight on anything. Makes a helluva mess if it rains right after you have mowed, but luckily it’s that weird little part no one can see or goes. Also, having the concrete bottom makes raking and sweeping it out easy.

[@CatWalking]

5/24/2020 Doing a pandemic garden bed for our sanity, my husband and I will be filling a bed we hacked together from left over roof replacement materials... (Hurricane Irma ate our roof.) We are putting in good soil today, with some cow manure, and some cypress mulch. We’re not sure yet what we’ll plant, but we are extremely jazzed to have reached this stage in the project! Thanks for your enthusiasm and wisdom, Mark! 💚

[@tinkernaut8736]

Your show is like a set of encyclopedias for gardening, thanks!

[@classicrocklover5615]

I came for his accent. I stayed for his knowledge.

[@jeffreycurtis9075]

I've build up to a bit over 50 square metres of food gardens over the last few years. Never gardened anything before. We also have 14 lovely chooks and 13 quail. Now at 58, I see where my passion lays. You Mark, are a bloody champion! Thanks for the constant info, tips and inspiration.

[@siKjiTz1]

Because of your videos, I’ve decided to mulch my small garden. I needed 3bags.

[@andreaslandfunk5495]

I'm gardening in Lower Austria, where it's not too warm, most of the times. I use grass for mulching (dry for two days) and some of the poultry litter and that turned my garden into very good land.

[@gpwil3847]

I’m really learning a lot about how to grow my own food at home. He’s a one stop shop of all the info needed to do it for someone who knows nothing, no farming background at all. This is really appreciated.

[@Vermillion73]

I'm beginning to think "Mulsh" was the proper pronunciation this whole time lol it flows off the tounge easier really. Fantastic channel 👏 😁

[@gratitude5740]

Yesterday I just planted my tomatoes cucumbers and herbs here in Toronto. I had grass clipping from the last two weeks . I thought to ask you Mark if it is ok to use and here you are , woke up checked the KZbin and here is the video ....pooofff ! Magic !

[@jamiepittman8389]

So happy to be in the Self-Sufficient Me university of gardening. Thank You

[@henrylawson430]

This guy is like a real life Australian example of that old UK show from the 1970s, “The Good Life”.

[@Tanoaproductionsfiji]

Even from the start I knew I was watching something and important! Cheers mate!

[@helennelson3120]

Thanks heaps for sharing. I learn a lot from you. Have a good one.

[@convolutedcarcass1523]

With wood chips you have to be careful as well if you buy it commercially. I got some last year and had so many morning glory vines everywhere growing and chocking out my beloved cucumbers…

[@mandysantos3677]

In the Philippines we used rice stalk or rice hull to mulch the plants, it helps to retain moisture in the soil especially during summer.👍👍🌱🌱🇵🇭🇵🇭

[@MrThejudaskiss]

Just wanted to say my partner and I love your videos and get a crap tonne of inspiration from you. We are located in Newcastle and being younger Australians we are hoping to own a good plot of land like yours one day. Currently though we have made a garden at my mum's suburban block and your channel has helped me a hell of a lot and keeps us inspired until we can afford our own land. Thank you :)

[@Selfsufficientme]

That's awesome to hear and thank you for supporting my content! I love hearing younger people getting into food gardening. I wish I could have started earlier myself (I would know so much more) but I was traveling heaps for work during my 20's and 30's so I had to postpone my dream of getting a good sized block until the timing was right. Keep working towards your goals and the work/effort/wait makes it much sweeter once you eventually get there. Cheers :)

[@OGKARENGO]

I'm from the United states and I'm adopting your mulch pronunciation! Mulsh mulsh mulsh mulsh....

[@johngordon8295]

Another good source of mulch is via composted horse manure. We have stables not far away who give the horse manure away and after a few months composting it is fantastic fertiliser/mulch. My tomatoes this year are 8 feet tall and still actively growing !!

[@phoenix55755]

I am so glad I found your channel. I may live in the states, but a lot of the things you show has helped me a lot.

[@christelchristely2816]

Lemongrass for mulch 😮, tomatoes in winter, sometimes i really envy you. We have snow on the mountains again and in Vienna we have refreshing 10 degrees at 11:30h, the night before we had 3 degrees rain and wind. My cucumber plants are toast 😢. Enjoy the sunshine, greetings from Austria! ❤️

[@loloholmes2793]

We're still getting snow in Vermont in the US...so much for that whole Global Warming Theory

[@ClissaT]

Broken down mulch is called humus. Humus is the sponge that retains moisture in soil and keeps it light, airy and black. Changing the type of mulch used each season widens the varieties of bacteria in your soil which is very beneficial. Different bacteria add different nutrients to the soil, so a wide variety of bacteria will eventually produce the full spectrum of nutrients for plant health. Mark has beautifully rich black tilth in his beds and general garden from using lots of different types of mulch over the years.

[@mrdespondency6598]

Stopping run off is such a good thing about mulch. You can also mulch with rock and other inorganics, which will also keep moisture in and help when watering. But won't provide much in the way of nutrients. Glancing the back garden, leaf fall is a natural mulch, it's late-winter here in the UK, and brushing leaves aside reveals new growth of plants underneath, that are protected with this insulating layer. Mulch is great, and nature naturally does it. You do have to give something back to the soil if you are removing something - and mulch is a great fit. I do wonder where it all goes sometimes at the beginning of the year when I've stacked a few inches on top and worry I've put on too much! But it all goes in time. Great videos and enthusiasm here.

[@marcoursi6062]

I have been doing the "poor man's method" for almost 20 years...lol....I rarely throw garden waste away, only if they are too big as I don't have a chipper...Thanks Mark..love your work

[@Selfsufficientme]

LOL - same here! Thanks Marco! Cheers :)

[@nickkk420]

I have a fallen rotten cedar tree fallen in my forest, you've inspired me to harvest it for my blackberries, the irony is I was just looking at buying mulch lol, it's a gorgeous red cedar top

[@suzanigans5857]

I can just listen to your videos all day.... I start a playlist and go about my housework. something about your accent and how you talk and explain things... it's just soothing lol. also learning lots from your content... very inspiring. Thank you and greetings from Florida!

[@abigailhaddock7319]

I have a bale of straw to use as mulch and now I am saving all the grass trimmings for mulch as well. I just leave them in the sun a few days to dry out a bit them spread them in the raised garden beds.

[@yes350yes]

Mark is the man love his preaching technique for garden and growing. According to him you can mulch right up to the stems on tomato plants , many others say no leave a gap which I have done but this season I wont.

[@jimmtheballs]

In our pot veggie garden here in Japan, we use rice husk (or shells - the hard part that gets discarded after harvest). The farmers just put it by the road with a sign to come get it. I would much prefer to use something that breaks down a little easier but there are no trees or lawns around here :( Great video!

[@apsutton336]

Have u used seaweed?

[@Selfsufficientme]

An excellent example of mulch! At least the farmers are nice enough to offer it for collection. That's great. Cheers :)

[@apsutton336]

@@Selfsufficientme Mark have u ever used seaweed and do u know know how to apply it please! Have a great day! From near Tamworth!

[@nanettesage1112]

You make me want to move to Australia and try to convince you to let me live there and help. You are such an awesome Farmer and Entertainer.

[@dawnwellman2886]

Because you used the quail manure you added the nitrogen to help breakdown the wood chips. If you don’t do this step the wood chips will take nitrogen from the plants

[@brettwhite5906]

I thought I had watched all of your videos but I just found this one! What an awesome find!

[@AyoobElAbed]

3:37 this right here is why i keep watching these videos

[@sarahjanegrew]

You are so funny!!! I really enjoy watching your channel and when I need some info I always come to see your thoughts and ideas first!!! I enjoy all of your videos, thankyou!!!

[@hatedagonyxx8594]

Everytime i watch his videos i feel like im at school at a presentation or something lol his content has me intrigued

[@rosewood513]

Mulching is the best, I have been mulching for 60 years... mostly grass clippings and straw. Nice video...

[@alexjohnson914]

Love the videos... Knuckle head next door?! you mean gentlemen next door!!! more befitting of a gentleman like yourself i do believe!

[@richjudy5374]

Mark i love your vids you are the most straight up informative easy to under stand guy out there! I get supper inspiered every time i watch ,Thank you for your time, You are the BEST!! Thanks Rich from upstate NY and God Bless!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thank you Rich! :)

[@DemocracyIsNotASpectatorSport]

Leaves from last fall, left to get mouldy and rotted... Fantastic mulch (don't use black walnut leaves, they're killers)

[@SuperCanada89]

only some plant are sensitive to walnut leaves, and when compost its gone

[@SuperCanada89]

@K Barnes "Walnut leaves can be composted because the juglone toxin breaks down when exposed to air, water and bacteria. The toxic effect can be degraded in two to four weeks. In the soil, breakdown may take up to two months after the living walnut tree has been removed. Mulch or woodchips from black walnut are not recommended for plants sensitive to juglone. However, composting the woodchips for a minimum of six months allows the chemical to break down to a safe level even for plants sensitive to juglone." www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2005/jul/070701.htm

[@bigweirdchick]

I love gardening but absolutely hate watering lol. So I mulch the snot out of my garden beds and compost directly on them too and BAM! I don't ever have to water except during periods of extreme drought. By the way I love your channel!!!!

[@junaidfaiz]

Good day. Lovely to see & hear Man with great calming attitude.

[@jeffreydustin5303]

Absolutely your best video yet among many. Well done!

[@DayanAngelTarot]

I just mulched my vegetable garden 4 days ago. Now the soil stays cool and moist, best decision I ever made 😊❤️

[@kasturimajumder1653]

This guy's energy is contigious. He has made me and my husband gardeners :)

[@mulchindia1681]

After spending some time on your channel I thought I utilized my time in the correct way by seeing the correct video about mulch uses. I appreciate your work. It was really a nice channel and I was really impressed by seeing this video.

[@brandi8040]

I always look forward to watching your videos. This video is yet another gem! Thank you for sharing Mark! I can't wait to turn our lawn clippings into mulch for our garden! You just saved us quite a bit of money from not having to buy mulch this year. Thanks a ton!

[@annallen2336]

I live in the St Petersburg area of Florida USA. From what you’ve said about your weather, it’s just like ours. I have learned so much from you and you have become my go to, how to, do all things gardening. Thank you for your info, good cheer and.....I love your politics!

[@Liquidforce4441]

I worked at a butterfly farm for a while and part of my job was collecting spanish moss out of the trees then shredding it and using it as mulch, idk if you have spanish moss over where you are but it worked really well.

[@justyouraveragenico2387]

Thank you so much for these videos pal! You're an inspiration!

[@bdc211]

i use lawn clippings for mulch.. i left a batch in a pile for 5 days last week.. when i went to spread it, it had so much mycellium and bacteria inside the pile, nearly the whole thing was white... beautiful!!!! when i dig in a bed to the dirt through already spread mulch, i got a bout a dozen worms per shovel scoop in the dirt underneath.. also beautiful!!! i love lawn clipping mulch!!!!

[@Nebroc420]

I just discovered this channel today and it's awesome! There's so much quality information that will undoubtedly improve my veggie gardening.

[@tonyc5321]

U are the Steve Erwin of gardening so entertaning!! Thanks again

[@ntcarvalhal]

Great video and one of the best explanations on the importance of mulching, thank you!!

[@michaell1665]

This is the most comprehensive mulching video I've seen on YT - thanks for taking the time to make it! I should have subscribed earlier, but I surely did today!

[@KHwut]

Ah, I thought you were talking about fish emulsion "mulsh" in all of your videos, and was worried that as a vegetarian I was missing a vital gardening ingredient by not using fish product fertilizer. I watch this video and realize it's just your lovely accent ❤

[@jingyun4323]

Just came from a video 4 years old， and I gotta say, your style of presenting has improved heaps! Good on ya!

[@veronicaanne1359]

When sowing seeds straight into the ground, like beetroot and carrots for example, I like to mulch the whole bed first, then, run a drill line, separating the mulch, and giving the seeds a place to grow. And this way, the seedlings are already mulched...

[@annae9257]

I use to put my rabbits litter tray straight into the patch, and always felt like it wasn't doing anything miraculous, now I know why!

[@petral.111]

My son told me to watch this Self sufficient Me and I love tomatoes and I prepared the garden bed and added my compost and then mulch sugar cane and have ended up with 4 massive plants for free love the videos

[@waynepalmar6101]

Your humor and content is great Thanks

[@melissahill3249]

Another benefit to mulching is it helps keep slugs off your plants. The more jagged the edges of mulch the better. Slugs and snails hate the chipped up pallets we have all over our garden.

[@willeay4food]

My wife and I garden together and have dedicated more and more of our yard to it. Your videos are very informative, keyed to our climate and quite entertaining. Thank you doing these and keep them up!

[@MickyBellRoberts]

You are da man Mark. I just love watching your videos, so educational.

[@nanyayoksay1893]

Good work! Truly amazing!

[@alexanderorr2528]

This guy and his channel are great so glad I found it, I'm getting some great tips from his videos.

[@madann85]

I just love your videos! So uplifting and soothing.

[@beebarian6045]

wonderful content, you are so inspiring and i love your energy

[@alanwalker359]

Love that lawnmower mulch trick - I'm gonna get into it....

[@kevinrudd1]

Two years ago I took a chance and mulched my entire garden with 8inches of woodchips. In 2yrs the top 5cm of my grey dune sand has transformed into rich topsoil. I have earthworms all year round even during 40C (105F) heat waves, and three new species of fungus spreading through the yard. If you have the time, contact your local tree service for cheap/free mulch and stack it high!