Comments on: The Scoop on Mulching a Vegetable Garden http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/the-scoop-on-mulching-a-vegetable-garden/ Featuring Vegetable Gardening Tips, Organic Growing Techniques, and Unique Plants for the Backyard Gardener Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:53:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Lin Pearson http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/the-scoop-on-mulching-a-vegetable-garden/#comment-65232 Lin Pearson Fri, 23 May 2008 22:05:44 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=621#comment-65232 On the allotment site where I grow veggies, the local council bring in the leaves they sweep up in the autumn. They start to break down over the winter and round about now they are ready to put in a 3" layer as a mulch. When time is tight, I am so glad that I don't need to get out the hoe, as there are no weeds. Our soil is very light, so when they arwe dug in the leaves provide welcome organic bulk and help hold moisture. On the allotment site where I grow veggies, the local council bring in the leaves they sweep up in the autumn. They start to break down over the winter and round about now they are ready to put in a 3″ layer as a mulch. When time is tight, I am so glad that I don’t need to get out the hoe, as there are no weeds.
Our soil is very light, so when they arwe dug in the leaves provide welcome organic bulk and help hold moisture.

]]> By: Rich http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/the-scoop-on-mulching-a-vegetable-garden/#comment-65171 Rich Fri, 23 May 2008 00:06:22 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=621#comment-65171 I always mulch between the rows in my vegetable garden, but I do not apply mulch until mid May at the earliest. The soil needs to warm up first. The best mulch I have used is shredded hardwood mulch. It keeps the weeds down best, gives me something other than mud to walk on, and by the end of the following winter it has all decayed and improves the soil. I also have used grass clippings from mowing the lawn. This is free but not as good as the hardwood mulch. Grass clippings need to be topped off frequently or the weeds will come through. I always mulch between the rows in my vegetable garden, but I do not apply mulch until mid May at the earliest. The soil needs to warm up first. The best mulch I have used is shredded hardwood mulch. It keeps the weeds down best, gives me something other than mud to walk on, and by the end of the following winter it has all decayed and improves the soil. I also have used grass clippings from mowing the lawn. This is free but not as good as the hardwood mulch. Grass clippings need to be topped off frequently or the weeds will come through.

]]> By: Karen http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/the-scoop-on-mulching-a-vegetable-garden/#comment-65070 Karen Wed, 21 May 2008 14:14:43 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=621#comment-65070 I tried to explain to my husband about putting straw between our rows to help keep the weeds out. He wouldn't have it! His excuse was "Granny never used any and she always had a big garden and it worked just fine". I think I will have him read this post! :) LOL I really enjoy reading your blog I found you on blotanical as I was browsing through. I tried to explain to my husband about putting straw between our rows to help keep the weeds out. He wouldn’t have it! His excuse was “Granny never used any and she always had a big garden and it worked just fine”. I think I will have him read this post! :) LOL

I really enjoy reading your blog I found you on blotanical as I was browsing through.

]]> By: Molly http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/the-scoop-on-mulching-a-vegetable-garden/#comment-65038 Molly Tue, 20 May 2008 17:33:40 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=621#comment-65038 Mulch is a confusing thing to deal with in an organic garden. I feel guilty using the plastic covers myself, but in the Pacific North West, our springs are very cool and my container pot tomatoes do so much better with the plastic cover, and I don't have to resort to using fertilizer to help them out. I recycle the plastic, too. I carefully remove it once the weather gets consistently warm and tuck it away on my garden shelf in the garage, ready for next spring. Mulch is a confusing thing to deal with in an organic garden. I feel guilty using the plastic covers myself, but in the Pacific North West, our springs are very cool and my container pot tomatoes do so much better with the plastic cover, and I don’t have to resort to using fertilizer to help them out. I recycle the plastic, too. I carefully remove it once the weather gets consistently warm and tuck it away on my garden shelf in the garage, ready for next spring.

]]> By: Brandon http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/the-scoop-on-mulching-a-vegetable-garden/#comment-65031 Brandon Tue, 20 May 2008 15:00:40 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=621#comment-65031 My wife and I had put mulch on just our roses last year during the drought and they were the only plants that survived in our yard. I want to try it on my vegetable garden too. My wife and I had put mulch on just our roses last year during the drought and they were the only plants that survived in our yard. I want to try it on my vegetable garden too.

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