The Delights of Mulch

Hey all,

I wanted to talk a bit today about something that has been going on in the gardens while we are getting plants really going. We’ve been mulching. “What is mulch any way?”you might wonder, if you have no background in gardening.

Mulch is anything that covers the ground and improves the soil by retaining moisture. Did you know that in some circumstances you could even use rocks? I know! I feel the cringing of gardeners from all the places that battle rocks. But according to George, it can actually be done and might help in some situations.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Definition of Mulch

Mulch improves soil fertility. It stops weeds from coming up thereby saving work on weeding. Mulch adds to soil structure for drainage and roots can find nutrients better.  It creates better plant health and production.

Some Materials Which Can Be Used

• weeds
• straw
• old hay
• leaves
• shredded paper (without plastic in it)
• cardboard
• old, untreated wood
• wood chips

So aside from rocks, what can you use? Of course, most gardening stores sell mulch such as wood chips. Sometimes, if you check around your area, there may even be wood chips available for free. You can also use straw or hay as you see in the above pictures. Another thing that my family likes to do, is get bags of leaves when fall hits, and use the leaves as mulch as well. Personally, I prefer straw or hay. With those, I can lay potatoes on the top of the soil and just cover them over with the mulch. They grow just fine and all I have to do to harvest the potatoes, is pull the mulch away, and voila! There are my beauties underneath the mulch.

Do you do anything different for your garden for weed control and moisture retention?

Three Sisters Gardening Is Another Way to Control Weeds.

Let us know in the comments below.

Until next time,

Homestead in Health Ya’ll!

Emily