What to do in the garden in March

[Jason]

Welcome to autumn everyone. 

How is your garden looking?

Ours is surprisingly green after a wetter than normal summer.

Jason

[robchin]

Hi @Adam_W I have never heard that Sugar Cane Mulch specifically makes the ground go sour but I guess it is theoretically possible but only if it's applied too deeply. I use it occasionally and never had any problems. I do like mulch that breaks down as it saves me having to fertilise too much. I've also never used Bamboo mulch - so I must be a bit out of touch I have been lucky enough to walk through some bamboo forests in Asia and it certainly is a good mulch there. I do like Lucerne as well. 

[robchin]

@Jason I'm still trying to get my February jobs done in the garden Mild summer in Melbourne and wider Victoria has been fantastic for the garden. 

[Adam_W]

Hi @robchin I've used a lot of sugar cane mulch recently, we live in cane territory so I buy a ute load of bales straight from the farm, and have used it on just about everything from veggies to fruit trees to ornamentals & have never had any issues. It's not my favourite but being baled makes it's easier to get around our larger property rather than trying to barrow everything.

You are quite right though, applied too thick, especially if kept too wet, it could go 'sour' therefore impacting soil chemistry but then... any mulch could in such circumstances. Pine barks more so.
Sugar cane is quite long lasting & I imagine bamboo would be too.
I'm a big fan of lucerne too due to its fast breakdown & nitrogen boost. I'll often put a layer of it down before I lay longer lasting mulches as I believe it can also help to combat 'nitrogen draw-down', the nitrogen depletion brought about by using the more persistent, less composted or woodier mulches.

And just a footnote... I have grown quite a bit of clumping bamboo and one thing I've noticed is you get very few weeds or other plants popping-up underneath bamboo. I don't think this is due just to the volume of leaf litter, light or moisture. I suspect that there is some allelopathy going on from fallen leaves or the plants themselves. If so this may cause issues with growth of plants where bamboo mulch is used. Would be interested to hear more on this.