Best Gardening Mulches of 2025

Toby Butcher Avatar
Toby Butcher
Last Updated: 2 Feb 2025

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Gardening mulches are a type of material used to cover the soil surface around plants. They can come in various forms such as shredded leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, or straw. The primary purpose of mulching is to help retain soil moisture, suppress weed growth, regulate soil temperature, and improve soil health. Mulching also adds nutrients to the soil as it breaks down over time. It is an easy and effective way to improve the overall appearance and health of your garden.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

YouGarden Strulch Natural Mulch for Gardens Cover #TOP 1
YouGarden Strulch Natural Mulch for Gardens
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Strulch Mineralised Straw Mulch for Gardening Cover #TOP 2
Strulch Mineralised Straw Mulch for Gardening
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Strulch Organic Mulch and Slug Repellent Cover #TOP 3
Strulch Organic Mulch and Slug Repellent
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Gardening Mulches

#TOP 1

YouGarden Strulch Natural Mulch for Gardens

Strulch
x2 Bags
YouGarden Strulch Natural Mulch for Gardens Cover
YouGarden 2 x 100L Strulch Mulch Straw Mulch in 9kg Bags, Natural Straw Mulch for Gardens Perfect as a Natural Slug and Snail Deterrent, Mulches for Gardens UK

The YouGarden Strulch Mulch offers an organic solution to keeping weeds and slugs at bay in your garden. By simply spreading this natural straw mulch around your plants, you can significantly reduce the presence of unwanted weeds. It’s ideal for creating a protective edging for your plants and borders, ensuring they remain both slug-free and weed-free. Plus, you won’t need to rely on harsh chemical weed killers, making this mulch a cleaner, safer choice for your gardening needs.

What We Like
Organic weed and slug control
Easy to apply around plants
Cleaner alternative to chemicals
Perfect for garden edging
Delivered directly to your door
#TOP 2

Strulch Mineralised Straw Mulch for Gardening

Strulch
100L
Brown
Strulch Mineralised Straw Mulch for Gardening Cover
Strulch Mineralised Straw Mulch 100L

Strulch Mulch is an excellent choice for gardeners looking to improve their outdoor spaces. It can reduce weed growth by up to 95%, saving you time and effort in maintaining your garden. Additionally, it helps retain moisture around your plants, ensuring they have the hydration they need to thrive. Enriching the soil and its structure, this mulch supports healthy plant growth, whether you have flowers, shrubs, fruit, or vegetables. With its added minerals, it also deters slugs and snails, protecting your plants from these pests.

What We Like
Reduces weed growth significantly
Retains moisture for plants
Enriches soil structure
Safe for flowers and vegetables
Deters slugs and snails
#TOP 3

Strulch Organic Mulch and Slug Repellent

55A1859
Strulch x2
Strulch Organic Mulch and Slug Repellent Cover
Strulch - 2 x 9kg Bags Mineralised Straw Mulch Garden Mulch Organic Slug Repellent for Gardens - Mulch for Garden in 9kg 100L Bags- Strulch Organic Garden Mulch

Strulch Garden Mulch offers an effective, natural solution for weed and slug control in your garden. By spreading this organic mulch around your plants, you can reduce weed growth without the need for harsh chemicals. It's particularly beneficial for strawberries, ensuring a cleaner and healthier start for your crops. Additionally, the mineralised straw mulch is ideal for creating attractive garden edging, helping to keep your borders weed-free while deterring slugs. With two 9kg bags supplied directly to your door, maintaining a thriving garden has never been easier.

What We Like
Natural weed control
Effective slug deterrent
Ideal for garden edging
Convenient bulk supply
Great for strawberries
#TOP 4

YouGarden Ornamental Spruce Bark Mulch 70L

Spruce Bark Chippings XL
YouGarden Ornamental Spruce Bark Mulch 70L Cover
YouGarden Ornamental Spruce Bark Mulch XL 70 litres - Mulches for Plants - Mulch for Gardening Spruce Bark Wood Chippings for Weed Control - Supplied in XL 70L Bag

YouGarden Spruce Bark Mulch offers an excellent solution for weed control in your garden. This UK-grown mulch helps retain soil moisture, which means you won’t need to water as frequently. It’s perfect for flower beds and borders, and can also serve as a natural surface for pathways and play areas. Additionally, this mulch is sustainably sourced, making it an eco-friendly choice for your gardening needs.

What We Like
Effective weed control
Moisture retention
Sustainably sourced
Versatile garden use
Convenient delivery
#TOP 5

60 Litre Garden Mulch for Improved Water Retention

MLCH-293
Brown
1 Bag (60 Litres)
60 Litre Garden Mulch for Improved Water Retention Cover
60 Litre Garden Mulch Decorative Soil Conditioner With Improved Water Retention (1 Bag (60 Litres))

The 60 Litre Garden Mulch enhances your garden's appearance while providing essential benefits. This decorative mulch suppresses weed growth, reducing the need for constant maintenance. It also preserves soil moisture during hot weather, ensuring your plants thrive. Additionally, it absorbs more water and releases it gradually, helping your plants flourish. The nutrient-rich composition promotes healthy growth, making it ideal for any gardening project.

What We Like
Suppresses weed growth
Reduces garden maintenance
Improves soil moisture retention
Promotes healthy plant growth
#TOP 6

BHGS Strulch Organic Garden Straw Mulch 9kg

BHGS Strulch Organic Garden Straw Mulch 9kg Cover
BHGS Strulch Organic Dual Action Garden Straw Mulch 9kg Bag Pack of 4 Bags

The BHGS Strulch Garden Mulch is an effective solution for your gardening needs. It reduces weed growth by up to 95%, allowing you to enjoy a tidier garden with less effort. This mulch also enriches the soil and its structure, promoting healthier plant growth. Additionally, its unique properties help deter slugs and snails, protecting your flowers and vegetables. Plus, it retains moisture around your plants, ensuring they stay hydrated during dry spells. With this mulch, you can create a thriving garden with minimal hassle.

What We Like
Reduces weed growth significantly
Enriches soil health
Deters slugs and snails
Retains moisture effectively
#TOP 7

Strulch Mineralised Straw Garden Mulch 100 Litre

Strulch Mineralised Straw Garden Mulch 100 Litre Cover
Strulch Mineralised Straw Garden Mulch - Natural Straw Mulch - Perfect as a Natural Slug & Snail Deterrent - Mulches for Gardens UK - 1x 100 Litre Bags by Thompson and Morgan (1)

Strulch Garden Mulch is a versatile gardening solution that combines weed control, pest deterrence, and fertilisation. This environmentally friendly mulch serves as a sustainable alternative to peat compost, helping to reduce environmental impact. You can enjoy lasting weed control for up to two years, allowing you to spend less time weeding and more time enjoying your garden. Additionally, it enriches and improves soil structure, promoting healthier plant growth and enhancing your garden's overall appearance.

What We Like
Effective weed control
Natural pest deterrent
Improves soil structure
Environmentally friendly
Long-lasting results
#TOP 8

Wooden Bark Mulch for Garden Decoration

Brown
10-20mm
Wooden Bark Mulch for Garden Decoration Cover
Wooden Bark Mulch for Garden Decorative Chippings 10-20mm Bag 20l Landscaping

The Sobex Bark Mulch is a natural choice for your garden. It is free from harmful substances, ensuring the safety of your plants. This mulch is especially effective for weed control, helping you maintain tidy borders and beds. Additionally, it enhances the appearance of large vegetation, such as conifers and ornamental shrubs. Supplied in a convenient 20-litre bag, it offers an easy way to beautify your garden while promoting healthy plant growth.

What We Like
Natural and safe for plants
Effective weed control
Enhances garden aesthetics
Convenient 20-litre bag
#TOP 9

Hardys 75L Pine Bark Chippings for Gardens

AFRA-HG-HOM-0312
Brown
Hardys 75L Pine Bark Chippings for Gardens Cover
Hardys 75L Pine Landscape Bark Chippings for Garden - Decorative Wood Bark Chips - Mulches Down, Insulates Roots, Weed Control - Path, Playground, Border Wood Chippings for Garden

Hardys Bark Chippings are an excellent choice for enhancing your garden. They effectively suppress weeds, helping to keep your flower beds tidy and attractive. The bark chips also insulate plant roots, providing protection against extreme weather conditions, which can prevent moisture loss. As they decompose gradually, these chippings enrich your soil, promoting healthy plant growth. Additionally, their decorative nature adds a beautiful touch to borders and pots, making your outdoor space more inviting.

What We Like
Suppresses weeds effectively
Insulates plant roots
Enriches garden soil
Enhances garden aesthetics
#TOP 10

Melcourt Spruce Ornamental Bark Mulch 60L

Melcourt Spruce Ornamental Bark Mulch 60L Cover
Melcourts Spruce Ornamanetal Bark Mulch - new 60l pack size!

Melcourt Bark Mulch is a high-quality conifer bark, perfect for enhancing your garden borders and landscaped areas. The recommended 10cm depth helps effectively suppress weeds while retaining moisture in your flower beds. This mulch is also endorsed by the RHS, ensuring that you are using a reliable product. With a new 60L pack size for this season, it provides excellent value and versatility for all your gardening needs.

What We Like
Highly versatile for landscaping
Effective weed suppression
Moisture retention for plants
RHS endorsed quality
New larger pack size
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does mulching mean?

: a protective covering (as of sawdust, compost, or paper) spread or left on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit (such as strawberries) clean.

2. What type of mulch is best?

Shredded bark is one of the best mulch types to use on slopes and it breaks down relatively slowly. Some shredded bark mulches are byproducts from other industries and are considered environmentally friendly.

3. What is mulching and its advantages?

Mulching is generally used to improve the soil around plants, but it also gives your garden a neat, tidy appearance and can reduce the amount of time spent on tasks such as watering and weeding. Mulches help soil retain moisture in summer, prevent weeds from growing and protect the roots of plants in winter.

4. Which mulch is best to prevent weeds?

Bark mulch is the best choice for use as a weed suppressant as it inhibits weeds in two critical ways. First, by applying a thick layer covering the soil, bark mulch deprives the weed seeds in the soil, and their resulting seedlings, of the sunlight desperately needed to germinate and thrive.

Editor's Notes

During our gardening mulch research, we found 182 gardening mulch products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 23,166 customer reviews through our big data system to write the gardening mulches list. We found that most customers choose gardening mulches with an average price of £18.51.

The gardening mulches are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of gardening mulches, including YouGarden, Strulch, STORM TRADING GROUP, BHGS, Thompson & Morgan. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 565 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.

Written by
Toby Butcher Avatar

Toby Butcher is a Horticulturist, and he earned his title as a Master Gardener in 2016. Toby has acquired a 25-year experience as a home gardener planting, designing, grooming vegetables and flowers. He is the leader of a plant group in Durham. Toby owns a blog where he publishes articles on growing and growing your flowers at home, in a vase, or in a garden.