Weeds as mulch?

[caroline7758]

As I was`weeding yesterday morning (hoe only, couldn't get a spade in the ground!) it occurred to me that the weed leaves were actually acting as a mulch. Guess it's a question of which is the bigger evil- weeds or dry soil?With bindweed I would say weeds, but not sure about some of the annual weeds.

[caroline7758]

[supersprout]

Completely agree caroline, and no evil at all IMO. As long as you have a hefty mulch between the plants first, any weeds that grow through it afterwards are easy to pull out on a sunny day and lay on top in the beds, where they will scorch and wither and add to the layers without re-rooting :D
Proud hefty mulch pics at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57//topic,22395.msg221843.html#msg221843 :)

[Mrs Ava]

Thing with the weedies, they are absorbing any pressure moisture that they can find in the soil, leaving your veggies to struggle.  I take them out - can't use a hoe (dumb blonde) and can't stand seeing those dying weedlets all over my lovely tidy veggie beds, but when you hoe them, leave them there and in effect they will act like a mini mulch.... :-\

[caroline7758]

One of my resolutions for next year is to mulch- but where on earth do you get all that stuff? Our council provide nothing & I'm not doing very well with composting.

[supersprout]

The 'million dollar question' - some answers here :)
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-21-189,00.html
I'm lucky - have a 150-year-old horse chestnut in our communal garden with leaves for about six beds each season. And unlucky - our supply of spent hops comes to an end this year :'( and I don't get many grass clippings off the communal lawn.
Have you asked the council to deliver? I found that we just hadn't asked - as soon as we did, along came a pile of wood chippings, and I've also asked for grass clippings like Robert B gets. Fingers crossed.
You can also grow your own - I missed a trick earlier this year and used straw round me toms instead of putting on the comfrey harvest, which I went and put on the compost instead. D'oh! If you grow green manures like ryegrass, they can be scythed in the spring and the grass used as mulch. Root crop tops and other veggie leaves can be used direct rather than composted. Another good reason to grow in succession ;) - next year :-[ And weeds, like you say, provided they are on the top to be frazzled.
::)

[powerspade]

What ever you do, don't use wood chippings as a mulch as you could get landed with honey dew fungus. Also as they rot down they will use up nitrogen in the ground and leave the soil in a very poor contition as I found out to my cost

[supersprout]

Good point ps, wood chippings go on PATHS ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

if you want grass clippings etc, try local contractors. Chances are they'd rather take them to your site than pay to dump the on a tip.