RE: Mulch vs reseed?
- Subject: RE: Mulch vs reseed?
- From: T* D*
- Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 20:41:37 +1200
I must say I've read the responses to Nan's question on this one with some
interest. In my garden we mulch every bed, including the vegetable plot and
rock garden, with whatever mulch I can make all year round, in a futile
effort to keep the weeds down and avoid ever having to water the garden
(which almost all has to be done by hand using watering cans). Some plants
set seed so prolifically that it simply doesn't matter when we apply the
mulch - new seedlings always seem to pop up the following year. For
example, the "hot" bed that contains the California poppies is always
mulched once the bed has been cleared of a lot of excess growth in the
autumn and they always seem to fight their way through again in spite of
that. Our cosmos (planted by us once only) self seed every year, with or
without new mulch on their bed - it makes no difference whatsoever. Same
with the nasturtiums.
I therefore have to wonder whether it is (a) due to the thickness of the
mulch or (b) the type of mulch that we use. We usually pile it on around 3
inches deep. It is made from whatever tree or shrub I have cut down most
recently and put through the shredder, but I guess the most common
ingredient is either Pinus radiata (Monterey pine) or Leptospermum
scoparium (good old New Zealand manuka). The manuka mulch is quite coarse -
lots of air space in it, and is nearly all wood fibres. It is a dense wood
and even as a mulch takes years to break down. The pine mulch is
predominantly needles and forms a far denser mat. It, of course, breaks
down completely within a couple of years. Self seeding plants grow MUCH
better in the manuka mulch - perhaps this lets some light through so the
seeds can still germinate? Certainly it is a lot more "airy" and water
would also drain through to the soil below without any run-off. Almost all
of my mulch is woody, not leafy. Perhaps that makes a difference.
Apart from that we never have enough mulch, so sometimes can only do part
of a bed before running out. It can be weeks before I make some more and
the bed gets finished. In that time there is every chance for nearby plants
to drop their seed on top of the new mulch. Next year they may end up in a
slightly different place from the year before. I can never remember that
far back!
Apart from all that, we got all these beds established by planting first
and then mulching around all the tiny plants. Sure it takes time and is a
bit fiddly, but it beats lugging hundreds of gallons of water by hand up
and down hills trying to keep the plants alive. Sometimes there is only
enough mulch for a thin layer. More seeds get through that for sure (so
more weeding), but it still helps with moisture retention and soil
improvement.
Tim Dutton
"Raindrops", Main Road North, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt, New Zealand
(Latitude 41? 5' South, Longitude 175? 10' East)
-----Original Message-----
From: Nan Sterman [SMTP:nsterman@plantsoup.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 3:35 AM
To: perennials@mallorn.com; medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Mulch vs reseed?
As I look at my "citrus hill" covered in riotous bloom of sweet pea,
hybrid poppies and california poppies, I realize I am about to face a
long time dilemma and need your advice.
When/how do you mulch a flower bed that you want to reseed itself?
If I put on three inches of mulch after the seeds have fallen, they
won't resprout.
If I mulch now, I'll bury the plants
Do I give up mulching alltogether?
What do you advise?
Nan
--
**********
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Nan Sterman
San Diego County California
Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11
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