Comments on: What Beginning Gardeners Need to Know about Mulching http://the-garden-site.com/what-beginning-gardeners-need-to-know-about-mulching/ An online resource for gardeners Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:59:47 +1200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: The Garden Site http://the-garden-site.com/what-beginning-gardeners-need-to-know-about-mulching/comment-page-1/#comment-144 The Garden Site Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:54:38 +0000 http://the-garden-site.com/?p=222#comment-144 Hi Natalie! Great question. If you are going into autumn/winter (assuming you are in the Northern Hemisphere) it's a great time to lay down some compost, and then put the mulch on top of it. If you can get hold of some vermicast or worm tea that would be good too. I find that just those things, organic compost, manure, and vermicast or worm tea work great and there's really no need for commercial fertilizers. Hi Natalie! Great question. If you are going into autumn/winter (assuming you are in the Northern Hemisphere) it’s a great time to lay down some compost, and then put the mulch on top of it. If you can get hold of some vermicast or worm tea that would be good too. I find that just those things, organic compost, manure, and vermicast or worm tea work great and there’s really no need for commercial fertilizers.

]]> By: Natalie http://the-garden-site.com/what-beginning-gardeners-need-to-know-about-mulching/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Natalie Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:39:28 +0000 http://the-garden-site.com/?p=222#comment-136 Hi, I am going to be mulching my gardens, mostly full of ornamental flowering plants such as gardenias and bird of paradise. Should I put down some fertilizer or organic compost prior to mulching? Hi, I am going to be mulching my gardens, mostly full of ornamental flowering plants such as gardenias and bird of paradise. Should I put down some fertilizer or organic compost prior to mulching?

]]> By: The Garden Site http://the-garden-site.com/what-beginning-gardeners-need-to-know-about-mulching/comment-page-1/#comment-91 The Garden Site Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:41:58 +0000 http://the-garden-site.com/?p=222#comment-91 I agree with you Uncle B, Michelle Obama has got it right! What a great example for everyone, especially that they are doing it organic! The mulching should help you, basically Nature doesn't like seeing bare soil. When it's exposed to the sun and wind the tiny microorganisms that are so important to healthy soil can get destroyed, so she tries to cover bare soil - hence, weeds. But by mulching, you are covering up the soil too, protecting the microorganisms and feeding them as the mulch breaks down. You'll get some weeds coming through, but it should be far fewer. The other thing that can help is planting your vegies closer together, basically crowding out the weeds. This is the strategy behind the French intensive and Square Foot Gardening techniques. Finally, weeds are not all bad! Okay, if they are crowding out your vegies, that's not ideal, but they usually have much deeper tap roots than most of your vegies will and they bring up vital nutrients from deep within the soil, making those nutrients available to your vegies. So it's okay for the weeds to share the space with the vegies - as long as they don't crowd them out too much. Also, I really highly recommend planting Heirloom vegetables - they are usually hardier than most F1 hybrids, are certainly tastier (and more nutritious) and they allow you to become self-reliant as you can save the seeds and plant them the next year producing seedlings true to their parents. The F1 hybrids are designed to keep you reliant on the seed companies (many of whom are backed by the pesticide producing corporations) as the seeds will either not sprout at all or produce plants that are weak and sterile. The hybrids are also usually designed to 'need' chemical fertilizers and pesticides, in essence they are weaker plants. You could also try planting low-growing, naturally spreading crops like heirloom oregano and marjoram between all your other plants. They will grow virtually year-round in some climates, they will spread into the gaps left between your other plants and if you can keep weeding until the herbs get a foothold they should keep the weeds under control. In our garden, the weeds don't stand much of a chance against these 2 herbs which had a good head start due to mulching and weeding around them in the early days while they were getting established. Plus the big bonus is you end up with beautiful, aromatic fresh herbs to use in your cooking! I agree with you Uncle B, Michelle Obama has got it right! What a great example for everyone, especially that they are doing it organic! The mulching should help you, basically Nature doesn’t like seeing bare soil. When it’s exposed to the sun and wind the tiny microorganisms that are so important to healthy soil can get destroyed, so she tries to cover bare soil – hence, weeds. But by mulching, you are covering up the soil too, protecting the microorganisms and feeding them as the mulch breaks down. You’ll get some weeds coming through, but it should be far fewer. The other thing that can help is planting your vegies closer together, basically crowding out the weeds. This is the strategy behind the French intensive and Square Foot Gardening techniques. Finally, weeds are not all bad! Okay, if they are crowding out your vegies, that’s not ideal, but they usually have much deeper tap roots than most of your vegies will and they bring up vital nutrients from deep within the soil, making those nutrients available to your vegies. So it’s okay for the weeds to share the space with the vegies – as long as they don’t crowd them out too much. Also, I really highly recommend planting Heirloom vegetables – they are usually hardier than most F1 hybrids, are certainly tastier (and more nutritious) and they allow you to become self-reliant as you can save the seeds and plant them the next year producing seedlings true to their parents. The F1 hybrids are designed to keep you reliant on the seed companies (many of whom are backed by the pesticide producing corporations) as the seeds will either not sprout at all or produce plants that are weak and sterile. The hybrids are also usually designed to ‘need’ chemical fertilizers and pesticides, in essence they are weaker plants.

You could also try planting low-growing, naturally spreading crops like heirloom oregano and marjoram between all your other plants. They will grow virtually year-round in some climates, they will spread into the gaps left between your other plants and if you can keep weeding until the herbs get a foothold they should keep the weeds under control. In our garden, the weeds don’t stand much of a chance against these 2 herbs which had a good head start due to mulching and weeding around them in the early days while they were getting established. Plus the big bonus is you end up with beautiful, aromatic fresh herbs to use in your cooking!

]]> By: Uncle B http://the-garden-site.com/what-beginning-gardeners-need-to-know-about-mulching/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Uncle B Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:07:31 +0000 http://the-garden-site.com/?p=222#comment-90 My garden is totally and absolutely weed infested, and by mid-season, my veggies and flowers are strangled out and the weeds take over - All the weeding in the world doesn't seem to help, it seems to make room for the stronger weeds to invade! I will try mulching this season, in a t least part of my garden, and if it is half as effective as folks claim, I expect a bumper crop for that section this year! Thanks for the godd advice, keep the tips coming, we are far from clear of the great republican depression G. Bush let happen, and will need even more gardens giving to the food banks this year! Mrs., Obama has got it right! She's on her knees, weeding and feeding the nation, like every good mother we know! G d bless her soul, we need more like her to give us courage to carry on! My garden is totally and absolutely weed infested, and by mid-season, my veggies and flowers are strangled out and the weeds take over – All the weeding in the world doesn’t seem to help, it seems to make room for the stronger weeds to invade! I will try mulching this season, in a t least part of my garden, and if it is half as effective as folks claim, I expect a bumper crop for that section this year! Thanks for the godd advice, keep the tips coming, we are far from clear of the great republican depression G. Bush let happen, and will need even more gardens giving to the food banks this year! Mrs., Obama has got it right! She’s on her knees, weeding and feeding the nation, like every good mother we know! G d bless her soul, we need more like her to give us courage to carry on!

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