mulching

[daveandtara]

we've spent the day working on the plot. i know i should be mulching as we go but i'm embarrased to say that i don't know exactly what that means  :-[
i'm confused cos i thought it meant to spread manure or somesuch but there's been much talk of rain leeching the nutrients etc.
so should i put manure down or not?
and exactly what does wardy do with cardboard and black plastic?
is it soil, cardboard, manure, plastic?
or soil, plastic, manure, cardboard?
Tara  :-\ xxx

[daveandtara]

[undercarriage plan]

Oooerr D & T there's a question...!Well at least I identified a question ;D In my book, I mulch my flower garden to reduce weed growth, reduce watering (it traps moisture),and add nutrients, I do this in the spring so the nutrients don't get washed away. But you can mulch with anything really, membrane, stones, compost, bark, the listi s endless! But, on the plot, I've done a Wardy as I like to call it, and mulched with pig poo ad covered with membrane so the nutrients aren't washed away....any help? Please say yes!!! Need to redeem myself for folkore thread....

[growmore]

 Hi Dand T,    Put your manure down the worms will take some down and it will smother weeds  ..As long as it aint  got a lot of straw in it as it is a tinker to dig in come spring if its strawy...Jim

[Derekthefox]

Thanks DaveandTara, I have spent a while thinking about how to raise a question I have related to what you have asked.

I am uncertain just how much goodness is leached away by rain, as it is claimed that one inch of rain penetrates about 9 inches of soil. When the beneficial effects of worms and other organisms are taken into account in creating the best environment for growing vegetables, I begin to wonder whether it is worth being concerned over this. If covering material is available, then certainly take advantage, but I have never covered, nor has my neighbour, and he turns out some very impressive stuff (except carrots and onions, where mine put him to shame).

Derekthefox :D

[derbex]

I cover lots -to keep the weeds down without digging, I'm only sorry that I don't have more mulch at the moment. I've just put a layer on the asparagus bed though.

The HDRA say that you should cover a bed with something over the winter -whether it be mulch or green manure -I don't always manage but I do try. Nutrient leeching is an issue for soil too -at least if it goes out of the mulch it should end up in the soil.

As to what with -pretty much anything, manure, compost, grass cuttings on top of cardboard (the worms go for that), leafmold. Whatever I can get for nowt  ;D

Jeremy

[john_miller]

I am uncertain just how much goodness is leached away by rain, as it is claimed that one inch of rain penetrates about 9 inches of soil.
Derekthefox :D

While our conditions are a little different from the U.K.'s there is enough "goodness" in the solution created by rainwater that the State of Vermont bans the spreading of manure by farmers between December 15th and April 15th (our ground is frozen into March and then we have "mud season" because of spring rains) every year. The "goodness", when in solution, can become pollution and these "non-point" pollution sources are seen as the major contributor to river pollution by certain nutrients. The legislator had to overcome strong objections from the traditional farming lobby (quite strong in Vermont), who were worried about the economic impact of shifting a winter activity to the spring and it's attendant economic consequences, but the realisation of the ecological problems the practice was causing did propel it into law.

[Derekthefox]

Thanks John, yes this is another side of the coin really, that of contamination of water supplies from manure and other organics. This is a problem for water companies in the UK too, since contaminants in solution cannot be removed by filtering ...

Derekthefox :D

[Robert_Brenchley]

I mulch as I go with grass cuttings and dead leaves, both of which are delivered to the site by the ton. They're part-decayed at best, and tend to sit there covering the soil till the worms take them down. I wouldn't have thought there was a vast problem with pitting manure on niw, but you'd be likely to lose the most soluble constituents by spring, so if you want the full benefit put it on about April when things are starting to move.

[jennym]

I don't dig compost in until spring, because it does leach nitrates, and I cover the compost heap and grow comfrey around it to pick up any washed away nutrients. The plots are covered by strong porous woven groundcovering material over winter, or for some I grow poached egg plant as a green manure and mulch, it stops weeds getting a hold over winter.

[John_H]

Good to find another fan of poached egg plants.

Most of them can be dug in or composted come March/April but I always grow a row of them down the side of one raised bed, just for next years seeds. When they start to flower they can be draped over onto the path, with some of that scaffolding fabric underneath to catch enough seeds to cover other areas in the early autumn.

Poached egg plants are probably the best and cheapest winter mulch ever created.

[daveandtara]

i have some poached egg plant seeds somewhere  ;D
i brought them cos someone said they encourage ladybirds, but none i planted grew.
i never considered them for winter mulch tho,
must plant the rest in spring then!
thanks guys, Tara xx