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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

The article mentions acidic consideration. What it does not mention is that 
appropriate materials for plants loving acidic soil include the various 
pine products, most notably pine needles, which I use as mulch under my 
blueberries.

The weed barrier consideration is important. Some of us may simply wish the 
weed seeds to germinate and then hand pull them from the moist, mulched 
soil, which is very easy. Some may wish to use the method of the California 
wine grape growers, who spread a clear plastic membrane, the soil heats, 
the seeds germinate, the sun then cooks the sprouts under the plastic and 
heats the soil to several inches, then the plastic is removed from the 
sterilized soil.

Experienced gardeners understand that the first picking or killing of weeds 
is just that, the first. The first-year weed-free garden will be visited by 
the winds and the birds, both of which will carry new seeds into the 
garden. A well-mulched garden can easily be kept under control, however, by 
the morning visit during which new weeds are easily pulled and tossed onto 
the top of the mulch, there to dry in the sun.

As one's garden grows in size, the most challenging task is to gather 
sufficient organic materials for garden mulch. My view of it is that the 
only sensible answer is to grow your own. Bringing in materials from 
outside the homestead is problematic and unsustainable. Some will remember 
my tale of woe over the Johnson grass infestation which I may never 
eliminate that came in on rotted hay from a nearby horse farm.

The harvesting of mulch material is the devil of the details. James has it 
right with his scythe but such work pains with age. At Heartwood I use a 
riding mower on about four acres of pasture and what we euphemistically 
call the yard--hah!--that vast expanse of what Nature provides, what grows 
well there through the many climatic conditions, of which urbanites and 
suburbanites would raise their noses and snort, "weeds!" My favorite mowing 
time is in the autumn, after the mostly oak leaves have fallen and dried. 
This last mowing of the year provides a wonderful mix of grass and chopped 
leaves, close to a perfect nitrogen-carbon mix and the dried leaves keep 
the whole loose and fluffy.

A riding mower uses gas and it is noisy and I wish I could develop a better 
system. So far I've not found one.