Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch

Mulch helps protect roots from temperature extremes, acting like a natural sunscreen in summer and a blanket in winter. It also helps retain moisture, improve soil health and encourage beneficial fungi. Developed by Paramount Plants & Gardens working together with some of the world's leading microbiologists and local farmers, Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch is our own unique wood-based peat-free compost and mulch blend. Mixed with hardwood chips, it is designed to support beneficial fungi and a healthy soil food web, helping plants establish more successfully and improve drought resistance naturally.

What are beneficial fungi?

Fungi are naturally occurring organisms that live in healthy soil and play a vital role in breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients. They help create a living soil ecosystem, improving soil structure, moisture retention and nutrient availability for plants. Healthy fungal populations can support stronger root systems, healthier growth and greater resilience during dry periods.

Characteristics of Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch

The name Friendly Fungi reflects the fungi-rich woody material used in the blend. The decomposing wood content has been selected and analysed to help support beneficial fungi and healthy soil biology, making it particularly beneficial for trees, shrubs, borders and new planting schemes.

Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch is a 100% peat-free compost made locally and sustainably in cooperation with local farmers. Designed to support a fungi-dominant soil environment, it helps improve soil health, moisture retention and long-term plant vitality while helping to naturally suppress unwanted weed growth.

Key benefits of using Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch include:

Encourages beneficial fungi and healthy soil biology

Improves soil structure and moisture retention

Helps newly planted trees and shrubs establish more quickly

Supports stronger root development and healthier plants

Helps suppress unwanted weed growth naturally

Protects roots from temperature extremes

Improves soil fertility over time

Uses of Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch

Use Friendly Fungi Compost & Mulch as a soil improver or mulch throughout the year.

As a Soil Improver:
Mix generous amounts into existing soil when planting trees, shrubs and borders to improve soil structure and encourage healthy root establishment.

As a Mulch:
Apply at least a 10cm layer over the root area of newly planted and established trees, shrubs and borders. Spread mulch evenly over the root area, keeping a small gap around trunks and stems to allow airflow and prevent rot. Reapply as the organic material naturally breaks down over time.

Regular applications help create rich, biologically active soil that supports stronger, healthier and more resilient plants.