Mulch

Kongobongo · September 2, 2015

Next season I plan on using some kind of mulch under my plants.I want to use something readily available to me.I have lots of grass clippings or year old straw.could I use either?

Durgan · September 3, 2015

I use readily available chips. Grass clippings are useless, and straw has issues which ar similar in that it can become impervious to water. Both grass and straw are fine worked into the soil, but as mulch not much use.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DEALJ June 2015 Wood Chip Mulch
Nine cubic yard of wood chip mulch was delivered to my driveway. Cost was $10.00 per yard plus $30.00 delivery charge. This will be sufficient to layer most of my growing area garden about three inches deep. The main purpose is to retain moisture. About seven wheelbarrows is a cubic yard.

Gardeneer · September 3, 2015

I have tried grass clippings and did not like it, even after sun drying them.
They get mushy and cake up. Straw is better if not already rotted.
What is the best thing available here is fine pine bark nuggets or just pine bark mulch. They wont get mushy, will stay intact all season and at the end of season make good soil amendment, to improve aeration and drainage, when tilled into the beds.
Another mulch material I like is pine straw (pine needles). But not available around here.
I like the mulch that provide aeration. So things like newspaper, cardboard, grass clippings do not fill the bill for me. YMMV

Gardeneer.

imp · September 3, 2015

We've used old hay; I know, all the weed seeds thing, but we got almost zed weed seeds growing from any of the hay. We were in a horrible 6 year bad bad drought, though, and the hay was left in flakes about 3 to 5 inches thick and laid them tight to each other.ser.

I plan to use the same method in my garden plots this winter as well. I like being able to just pull the hay back and pop in my transplants, the soil stays softer and the worms are happy.

We have used wood chips before, but the biggest problem was that the squash bugs lloved hiding in them.
YMMV.

Gerardo · September 3, 2015

I lay a few relatively fresh, long, brown-seaweed leaves to cover the mix and then add about 2-3 inches of "Decorative Groundcover Bark" from HD. About $4/bag. Really helps with moisture control and temp regulation. I grow in containers.

The local stuff is comprised mostly of peppercorn (Pirul), eucalyptus, and palm tree chips. Gonna try 'em on a few pots and see how it goes.

Experimenting with hay too.

Tracydr · September 3, 2015

I use a mix of pine straw and leaves, mainly because that's what I have. It works well, especially if I run it through the shredder first but even if I don't it works pretty well.
If getting water through mulch is a problem, drip or soaker hoses under the mulch work well and protect the soaker hoses from sun degradation.
It may also be too thick of a layer if water doesn't get through.

September 2, 2015	#1
Kongobongo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Manitoba,Canada Posts: 79	Mulch Next season I plan on using some kind of mulch under my plants.I want to use something readily available to me.I have lots of grass clippings or year old straw.could I use either?

September 3, 2015	#2
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	I use readily available chips. Grass clippings are useless, and straw has issues which ar similar in that it can become impervious to water. Both grass and straw are fine worked into the soil, but as mulch not much use. http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DEALJ June 2015 Wood Chip Mulch Nine cubic yard of wood chip mulch was delivered to my driveway. Cost was $10.00 per yard plus $30.00 delivery charge. This will be sufficient to layer most of my growing area garden about three inches deep. The main purpose is to retain moisture. About seven wheelbarrows is a cubic yard.

September 3, 2015	#3
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,915	I have tried grass clippings and did not like it, even after sun drying them. They get mushy and cake up. Straw is better if not already rotted. What is the best thing available here is fine pine bark nuggets or just pine bark mulch. They wont get mushy, will stay intact all season and at the end of season make good soil amendment, to improve aeration and drainage, when tilled into the beds. Another mulch material I like is pine straw (pine needles). But not available around here. I like the mulch that provide aeration. So things like newspaper, cardboard, grass clippings do not fill the bill for me. YMMV Gardeneer.

September 3, 2015	#4
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	We've used old hay; I know, all the weed seeds thing, but we got almost zed weed seeds growing from any of the hay. We were in a horrible 6 year bad bad drought, though, and the hay was left in flakes about 3 to 5 inches thick and laid them tight to each other.ser. I plan to use the same method in my garden plots this winter as well. I like being able to just pull the hay back and pop in my transplants, the soil stays softer and the worms are happy. We have used wood chips before, but the biggest problem was that the squash bugs lloved hiding in them. YMMV.

September 3, 2015	#5
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,594	I lay a few relatively fresh, long, brown-seaweed leaves to cover the mix and then add about 2-3 inches of "Decorative Groundcover Bark" from HD. About $4/bag. Really helps with moisture control and temp regulation. I grow in containers. The local stuff is comprised mostly of peppercorn (Pirul), eucalyptus, and palm tree chips. Gonna try 'em on a few pots and see how it goes. Experimenting with hay too.

September 3, 2015	#6
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I use a mix of pine straw and leaves, mainly because that's what I have. It works well, especially if I run it through the shredder first but even if I don't it works pretty well. If getting water through mulch is a problem, drip or soaker hoses under the mulch work well and protect the soaker hoses from sun degradation. It may also be too thick of a layer if water doesn't get through.