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Re: Mulch

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

You can mulch with pretty much anything, though I prefer organic mulches
because they help enrich the soil.  Depends on where you are too.  Since
I have alkaline soil, I like to mulch with a more acidic product,
thereby helping to lower my soil ph gently.  I do this with
Camelia/Azalea Planting Mix or Cocoa Mulch.  

You can also mulch with bagged Organic Compost or any kind of general
all purpose planting mix product - not potting soil but planting mix -
(preferably without sewage sludge in it for me - other folks disagree on
this issue - I'm mixed but I feel it's safer just not to mess with it
just in case it really does carry heavy metals in it).  

Lots of people around here mulch with bark chips that you buy in bags. 
They look nice, but I think they're a pain and they don't break down
fast enough to enrich my soil.

You can also mulch with dried grass (dried so it doesn't mat and form a
goo) from your lawn, though I prefer leaving my grass clippings on the
lawn as natural fertilizer.  Some people mulch with newspaper even - not
the colored print though, just the black and white pages.

Mulch really does help my garden.  It's really helped lower my watering
requirements, and keeps the soil more evenly moist, which is especially
important for tomatoes.  It also cuts down weeds.  I put mine on about
1-2" thick as I live in a hot climate.  I've seen Whitney Farms (the
great organic amendments and fertilizer company) recommend anywhere from
1/2" to 4" depending on what you're trying to accomplish.  

Good luck.

P.S. I found out something from whitney farms today about mushroom
compost.  It is naturally alkaline and is a good mulch for those of you
with too acidic soil.

kim, zone 9, so cal

Dustynews@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
> 
> Someone over the weekend suggested that I mulch my vegtable garden, to help
> control weeds and keep the ground cool.
> 
> What is a good mulch to use, I see like 10 brands at the nursery?
> 
> Any suggestions, I have tomatoes, eggplant, herbs, summer-squash, peppers(hot
> kind), and broccoli in the vegatable bed.  I have a separated one with
> strawberries.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dusty (CT)
> 
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