Much mulching on the marsh: Leeks!

[supersprout]

Hops underneath, straw on top

[supersprout]

[calendula]

cosy - bed AND breakfast  ;D

[Chantenay]

Supersprout - thanks for this - and other photos - of your mulching. It may sound daft, but I really don't quite "get" mulching yet. I used grass cuttings on my spuds this year and it does seem to have kept down the weeds, but you seem to need a phenominal ammount. And do I dig it all in at the end of the season?? And could you do that with the straw in your photo????

[umshamrock]

since we are asking supersprout questions about mulching -

do you just mulch with whatever you have about? what about perennial weeds (like bindweed and couch grass), do you use those as mulches? do you just throw your kitchen waste on your beds as mulch?

thank you, mulch guru.

shamrock

[supersprout]

nice one calendula ;D

it took me a long while to take the leap of faith to mulching too chantenay, and I'm learning as I go along (as you do). No digging in at the end of the season - leave the mulch and the worms to get on with it.

For planting through mulch, see http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/smf/index.php/topic,23452.0.html

If you read the early organic gardening books of the '50s, they all bang on about the benefits of maintaining a good mulch. For some reason it's dropped off the radar these days, but must be due for a big resurgence given the dry summers and torrential winters forecast - mulching will help keep the soil on an even keel IMO :)

umshamrock, I throw on my kitchen waste - by passing the compost heap - but like to sprinkle straw on top to be Tidy ;). Whenever I pull bindweed and couch grass that get through the mulch, I lie them on the top - they just dry out and add to it!

[Curryandchips]

Even myself, as a hardened dig addict, will confess to having done a lot of mulching recently. Mainly as a result of finding a veritable forest of weeds upon my return from holiday, I just pulled the weeds and laid them on the surface to stop the soil drying out any more ... docks, thistles, couch, plus many less nasty weeds, all producing a lovely composty covering. A significant amount of this has been put into a trench for my new strawberry bed, to be planted at the end of the month.

I think my 'project' for this coming season is to do a test with mulching on one (or two) of my 4 rotation areas. ie no digging, just hoeing and mulch.

Any further guidance will be appreciated  :)

[supersprout]

Oo curry delighted to hear you might be joining the mad mulchers :o :o just use a LOT of mulch. I started hesitantly with a couple of inches, and have now built up to 8" around established plants. If you get any weeds coming through, it means the mulch isn't thick enough :)
I got my inspiration from Ruth Stout - lots of her writing on Google, but acquired a couple of her books too :)

[Curryandchips]

The limitation I have is on the amount of mulch I have available. Alas no hop supplies, and horse poo is no longer an option with my brand new shiny red car ... so it is down to allotment waste/weeds and kitchen scraps. One of my neighbours used to supplement his mulch by coming through the park on his way to the allotment, and filling a dustbin bag with leafmould ... alas no park on my route  :(.

Still, where there is a will ...

[prink13]

I too want to give mulching a go..................am hoping to pick Sarah's brains on the 2nd September at my open day/swapshop/afternoon tea!  :D

[Mrs Ava]

I have 4 or 5 bags of half rotted leaf mould.  This will be going up to the plot over the weekend to mulch my leek babies.  After the rain we have had, hopefully the ground will be good and damp, and the leaves will help keep that in, blanch the leeks, and benefit the ground!

Just wish I could get my hands on as much mulching stuff as you have Sarah!!