Adding mulch

[cjp1953]

Checking the Central Ohio Farmers CO-OP it shows the soil is around 65 degress.What temperture reading should I wait for before adding mulch?I'm going to apply a 6 to 8 inch layer this week or wait another 7 days.The garden has been in for 2 weeks.

[Worth1]

I would say now but I dont live in Ohio.
6 to 8 inches seems a little extreme for wood mulch, unless it is hay or straw.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

This thread made me curious as to the ground temperature here. I checked at 4" deep in three areas of the garden. It is 82F. Time for me to mulch so the soil doesn't get a lot hotter.

cjp1953, is your soil real wet? If it is, I personally, would wait until it dries some.
Also, are you planting anything from seed (Direct sow)? Some seeds need warmer ground temperatures to come up.

Wish I could answer better.

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I would say now but I dont live in Ohio.
6 to 8 inches seems a little extreme for wood mulch, unless it is hay or straw.

Worth

I'm using straw.I did this last year but at the time I did not know the soil temperture.

[cjp1953]

Soil is dry as it has not rained in a week.It's going to be around 90 drgrees today and close to that tomorrow.You can try that website as it covers the whole country and states.Hope this helps you.

[Gardeneer]

I would mulch when soil temp is 65F ++.
Natural ground temp is below or about 60F (avge). It gets warmer by hot air and direct sun.
So one of the functions of mulch is to prevent soil getting too warm. It acts like insulator.
Hay, straw have better insulating quality than say pine barks. Cooler soil can also mean better moisture retention.

Normally, experienced gardeners would wait until the wet season is over and the plants have grown a good 2-3ft tall. I know this for a fact that potatoes will stop setting tubers when soil temps reaches 70s. I don't know what happens with tomatoes.

Gardeneer

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

I'm using straw.I did this last year but at the time I did not know the soil temperture.

For some reason I was visioning 8 inches of wood chips or bark.

They lady called Suze that used to be here had a neighbor that put about 6 inches of wood mulch all over their yard.
It killed ever tree they had.

From your last post or two I would go ahead and put it down.
I did a survey this spring and at around 65 to 70 degree night time soil temps the tomatoes took off.

Worth

[cjp1953]

Thank you,will do it this weekend.