With spring well and truly in the air, local garden gurus have the opportunity to bring their gardens into full bloom and save water by accessing free mulch.
As part of Armidale Regional Council's (ARC) water conservation campaign, the free mulch pick-up will be available to all residents on the weekend of October 26 and 27 at the Council's Waste Management Facility.
The free mulch initiative has been running for several years and was introduced by ARC to encourage water savings in the garden as the warmer months arrive.
"Together, we can make a significant difference to our environment with initiatives like these," said Mayor Sam Coupland. "The Armidale region is renowned for its beautiful gardens and the free mulch offering from Council will help residents use water more wisely but still have vibrant, lovely looking gardens.
"Mulch can reduce evaporation from the soil by up to 70 percent and is like a blanket on the soil. Not only do mulches conserve water which means there's less need to irrigate, they also keep the soil a consistent temperature, reduce weed growth and, over time, improve the soil structure and the health of plants.
"Mulch is an essential component of maintaining a water efficient garden. By shading the soil, mulches help to conserve soil moisture, reducing the amount you have to water by as much as two-thirds.
"These types of simple changes can make a huge difference to the amount of water a household uses. In the warmer months, it is important that water usage and conserving water is top of our agenda."
The mulch giveaway will be limited to residential users and one ute or trailer load per customer. The ARC Waste Management Facility is open Saturday and Sunday 12 noon - 5pm (no entry after 4.45pm).
