Topic: This Mulching Lark

[Emagggie]

Now I'm getting to grips with my plot, having learned a few lessons from the mistakes I made initially and with help from you good folk, I have decided I should include MULCHING.(can you hear me Supersprout? ;D)
Please can anyone advise if it matters what is mulched with what, how deep mulch should be,etc. Your opinions will be mulch appreciated. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mulches vary enormously. I'm assuming you're talking about organic mulch rather than inorganic stuff like black plastic. Bark chippings will rot down over several years, and will obviously contribute organic matter to the soil, but contain little in the way of nitrogen or other nutrients. The same goes for autumn leaves, though a couple of inches will be gone in six months at most. Fresh grass cuttings, my favourite, are full of nitrogen, and are loose enough for most things to grow through apart from small seeds. Soggy masses of rotting grass cuttings are good for putting under bushes or over really rampant things like rhubarb, but be careful how you use them as a lot of things will look at them and give up.

[supersprout]

I can hear you emagggie, will lie low for a bit cos I've banged on about it so much :-[ :-X ;)

[Emagggie]

Thanks for that, Robert,and yes I'm talking organic.I have an inexhaustable supply of straw which,looking at SS's avatar perhaps I could use.I did read in a book somewhere that fresh horse manure was ok to use too,but I thought it had to be well rotted. Any views?

.........and that's cool, 8), SS,I don't mind one bit-no-really, not at all.It's really, really ok.Please don't give it another thought.Honestly.It really isn't a problem.Please don't worry about it,put it from your mind,lay as low as you like for as long as you like.Far be it from me to drag you out kicking and screaming"no more talk of mulch just yet" Heaven forbid!Would I do such a thing? Nooooo,never..... ::) ;) ;D ;D ;D
Mxx

[supersprout]

lol maggie, starter for ten then :)

why mulch?
suppresses annual weeds
no digging
good for worms
nourishes soil
keeps moisture in soil

this means more time on the plot sowing, planting, harvesting and mulching - no digging and very little weeding

organic mulch - anything organic: grass cuttings (lucky robert), leaves, leafmould, chopped up veg waste from kitchen or plot, hay, straw (green with envy maggie!), spent hops, coffee grounds, sawdust, woodchips, shredded stalky stuff, compost, paper shreddings, newspaper, cardboard, fresh or mature pony poo etc.

paths - cardboard or newspaper first, then straw or wood chippings
growing areas - about 8 inches will suppress weeds, it quickly flattens down to about 2-3 inches. Use more mulch than you think you need! If weeds poke through, put some more mulch on, it just means you haven't put on enough mulch :P

where - around growing plants

what about sowing seeds and planting seedlings? scrape the mulch aside in your row, and sow or plant as if you'd never heard of mulching. When the plantlets get going, draw the mulch back around them.

it's so simple it's embarrassing!

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you're drawing it back around seeds, pull it well back as the birds can throw it straight back on otherwise. Straw is good from everything I've been told, but I've never used it. Horse manure really needs to be rotted down before use; pile it up, cover it with plastic so all the goodness doesn't leach out, and leave it it for 12 months. Assuming it's fresh to start with, that is.

[supersprout]

So true robert - birdies love to frolic in spent hops and leaves, and will quickly demolish your nicely cleared seed rows. A top layer of straw seems to fool them into leaving the mulch alone (mostly ::))

I have started experimenting by scattering fresh pony poo around tough stuff like round asparagus, artichokes (both kinds), rubub, raspberries and now on top of any mulch that's going to stand over winter e.g. around leeks or vacant beds or next year's spud bed, so the goodness leaches into the soil for spring. I wouldn't use it near tender or young plants. Will see how it goes ::)

[Emagggie]

Coo, you two! Well thanks very much, both.I had skipped through all my books only to find very little mention other than it's a good idea!!! I was wary of what one should use around what-It's all very traditional on our site,probably 'cos most folk are elderly and just do it as they always have, and not alot in the way of mulching as far as I can tell.
I've had a few sidelong glances at my bird scaring efforts,etc.so the straw should cause a ripple. ;D
Sarah, I really didn't intend to bully you into replying but jolly glad you did.
Between you , you got me sor'ed. Many thanks.

[supersprout]

so looking forward to the pics maggie! ;D
Some Web resources I found useful getting started:
http://www.homestead.org/Gardening/Ruth%20Stout%20-%20The%20No-Dig%20Duchess.htm
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/simple_homesteading/60401
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-21-189,00.html

The old Rodale book 'Growing Fruit and Vegetables by the Organic Method' has a big section on mulching
If you want a more recent book I can recommend 'Mulch It!' - based on Ruth Stout's method

A couple of pics again:

Artichoke seedlings going in, mulch pushed aside


Leeks


Robert posted a superb pic of his lusty rhubub smothered in squelch a few months ago, that got me going ;D

Top tip: If your straw has some seeds in you may get little seedlings sprouting. Just turn the lump of straw over!

[Emagggie]

Just had a wander through the websites, SS. VERY interesting. Most of the questions I had lined up are now answered by Ruth Stout. Many thanks again. There really is a no dig-but looking busy answer. ;D ;D ;D

[supersprout]

LOL!
The other week the site rep came over looking very arch, and whipped out his spade from behind his back. He told me what it was called and carefully explained to me how it was to be used ;D. We have a good laugh now about our different - and equally successful - preferences for cultivation, and he borrows a switch of straw now and then to light his bonnies ;)
Will you post pictures when you have a mo maggie, I'd love to see your mulching and hear how you get on :D

[bennettsleg]

"no digging" - wistful sigh
"supresses annual weeds" - you mean.... you mean.. they... they won't be taking over any more! Oh, Oh I fear I may swoo<thud>

How do you stop it all blowing away...?

Me, OH, the Tank I & are going on a hunt for poo and straw this weekend! HURRAH!

[Emagggie]

Haha, Bennettsleg and happy poo hunting.SS, I can't wait to get going but I have to work full time for the next 2 weeks and then we are in France for a week.(looking forward to seeing Monets garden at last)BUT.........everything is waiting patiently for me.Sacks of maturing(!) horse poo are stacked up, straw awaiting in barn. 'How can you be so excited over such a thing?' the family cry........they just don't know the half of it do they. I am banned from making gardening talk at the dinner table now, ah well.
Will post piccies as soon as there are some to post. Hoping for a new camera for my birthday as the cheap and nasty one is turning out to be just that. ::)

[angle shades]

the Organic Way,the members mag for Garden Organic has a great front cover,looks like your plot from your photos SS :)

Its about how to get you plot productive in 6 months :o from taking it over, using cardboard and so many inches of mulch, and let the worms get on with it. Sounds good to me /shadesx

[supersprout]

oo that's good news /shades, the more mulchers the merrier ;D
later ....
just got Organic Way through the post and it does look VERY like my plot :o :) but erm, tidier :-[ ;)
The article on sheet mulching to clear a plot is superb! Thank you for the pointer :)

[saddad]

I was impressed with the article too but you can't beat a bit of theraputic digging now and then!!!!
 ;D

[Clairylou]

When i transplanted my leeks i'm not sure i dibbed my hole deep enough, if i mulch with grass cuttings around them will this make up for it. 

Claire
x

[supersprout]

Sounds like a good plan clairylou - if you exclude light from the stem, it will whiten! And a deep mulch will do the leeks no harm - kitchen gardeners have been earthing them up for centuries, and you'll be using mulch. I think I'd use straw/leaves as well as grass cuttings tho - too thick a layer of grass cuttings might cook the leeks :o 8)

[Emagggie]

It's started. The doubting Thomases are lining up with 'advice'......... ::)
They watched me arrive with my trailer full of bags,then watched me barrow them up to my plot.'What you got there?'.........' straw'.....wot you gonna do with it then?.......Deep mulch.......You don't wanna do that. That wont ever rot down.Waste of time. Well I've got well rotted manure to go down first.......that's no bloomin' good, you want straw thats been piddled on.Ammonia's what you need,not horse poo.....Well, that's how I'm doing it.  walks away mumbling........no bloody good,that ain't gonna work,waste of time, no nourishment in that.
At which point I smiled sweetly and came home.(the fact that I find it difficult to reverse with trailer hitched and unhooked and turned it manually gave them a good laugh anyway ;D ;D ;D)

[Curryandchips]

I guess I am lucky then, for I rarely get visitors. If they were like yours, I think I would keep my gate locked from the inside ...  ;D