Busselton turns to eco mulch

The City of Busselton is replacing synthetic fertilisers with organic compost and eco mulch at its parks and gardens.

City projects and technical contracts officer Karl Clively said unlike traditional fertilisers, which are high in nitrogen and phosphorous and other harmful trace elements, organic compost and eco mulch were made from organic substances.

The eco mulch will be produced in Busselton using green waste from storms and local government pruning programs.

“In past years the City used a combination of synthetic fertilisers and simple garden mulch which was nutrient poor and often contained weeds, ” he said.

“While eco mulch takes several months to produce and is not cheaper than other mulches from landscape suppliers, it is compost rich and much cleaner.” He said using eco mulch has also reduced the City’s reliance on synthetic fertiliser which is harmful to the environment and is expensive.

Mr Clively said not only did eco mulch enrich the soil, help suppress weeds and maintain soil moisture; it also improved the quality of water running off into rivers, wetlands and, ultimately, into the popular tourist area of Geographe Bay.