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Buy
the same leaf mulch used in Olbrich's gardens for your home garden. Leaf
mulch cuts down on watering and weeding, recycles local leaves, and is
credited for Olbrich’s healthy looking gardens. Buy in bulk during Bulk Thursdays.
This leaf mulch is available only
through Olbrich. Leaf mulch is beneficial for annuals, perennials, shrubs,
trees, and in vegetable gardens.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz endorses
the Leaf Mulch Sale at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, emphasizing Olbrich’s
leaf mulch is an environmentally sound way to improve your home garden
while supporting Olbrich.
“Our
leaf mulch is one of the biggest contributors to our success in growing
most groups of plants at the Gardens,” said Jeff Epping, Director of
Horticulture. The
mulch used at Olbrich is made from leaves collected in the fall by the
City of Madison. After composting during the winter at the Gardens, the
leaves are ground and bagged in the spring. This process saves the city
from hauling the leaves to the
Dane County compost site and provides an
environmentally sound product. “We’re recycling the leaves from our
city’s own urban forest, not trucking in mulch from halfway across the
country or putting the leaves in a landfill,” said Epping.
The
mulch looks great by creating a chocolate brown background for any plants
to be seen against. The mulched leaves enrich the soil’s fruitfulness,
regulate
soil temperatures, and conserve moisture, while reducing weeds and other
unwanted growth.
At
Olbrich, a three to four inch layer of mulch is applied to the garden beds
in the spring, summer, and fall. “The majority of the mulching is done
in the spring just after perennial dividing or annual planting, but we
also touch up beds during the summer as needed,” said Epping.
Tests
have determined that the pH of Olbrich leaf mulch is neutral. Soil tests
in the gardens where leaf mulch has been used indicate that the leaf mulch
does not change the pH of the soil.
Each
bulk tractor
scoop is $40 and is equal to about 8 to 10 bags. Only cash
and checks will be accepted. All proceeds raised from the sale benefit Olbrich
Botanical Gardens. For more information, call 608-246-4550.
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