Mulching Roses?

[Mosquito]

I need to do that to my rose bed as the heat here is playing havoc with my roses again & this time I dont want to buy the $$$ stuff I used before.I have been told that some people have used hay/straw with good effect.Will this be alright to use?If so any special instructions I need to take note of before laying it?What other suggestions do you have for me that I can use?
Thanks..

[Sam]

Roses really love lucerne if you can get hold of it.

[DrDuncs]

You could try the following:
1. Give them a good drink.
2. Lay a number of WET sheets of newspaper.
3. Cover newspaper with Lucerne and wet.

Uses a bit of water to get started but this will ensure the mulch (newspaper is considered part of the mulch) doesn't draw too much water out of the soil, will enable you to lengthen times between watering and also keeps the soil and roots cooler.

[Denise]

Beware that ordinary hay / straw is full of seeds - which proceed to sprout and turn into a barley/grass/weed crop (depending on what was in the straw to start with)! Pea or lucerne straw doesn't have this issue, and it has a better nutrient content as it rots down. Been there, done that, learnt my lesson!!!

[charlie_bruno]

Ditto to all of that from Denise & Dr D, just don't put it too close to the base of the plant

[orchid40]

I use Cane Mulch for my roses, works for me! No weeds etc and it breaks down over time.
Val

[snakecharma]

I currently use sugar cane mulch on all my roses (all in pots) and so far doing well

However the best mulch I have ever found for my roses was a pelleted lucerne that expanded when watered. I cannot remember the company or actual product name, only that it came in an red/orange bag and was the best mulch by far. And now I can't find any

[Barbara B]

Hi,
all my rose gardens are mulched with redgum chips.
Barbara B

[rosesforme]

snakecharmer..

is this what you were referring to?
It looks really good to me, I think I will give it a go.
Feeds both plants and soil.

http://www.powerpellets.com.au/summary.html

http://www.powerpellets.com.au/home.html

[snakecharma]

very similar though not the same brand.

good luck with it! Do let us know how it goes.

[Mandy]

I've been using newspaper/sugar cane mulch, though the wickedly bad weeds seem to enjoy it just as much as the roses....sigh. I despise nut grass and couch!

[Barbara B]

Hi,
Fusilade will kill off that couch.
Barbara B

[Mandy]

I generally try to avoid using chemicals - how toxic is it? Does it only kill the grass? Thanks, I've got no idea

[Hampers]

Be aware that woody mulch will drain the soil of nitrogen. But newspaper and some blood and bone always aids rapid decomposition.

[myzeke]

I usually use only lucern hay. Clean lucern does not have weeds. Is there a problem with water penetration using paper not shreaded?

[kombi69]

keep the mulch away from the trunk, otherwise you risk collar rot.