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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?

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  • From: Mike <mike.lists@mlxvi.org>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?
  • Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 14:25:57 +1200

The term mulch is a strange one - in my opinion. We talk about it like it is something else. Leaves, straw, hay. When it could be what we already have. Compost. The weeds you just pulled out. The leaves of the plants that are being grown and are just shading the ground. Other plants that are taking up the niche that a weed might take up, to be harvested as the first plant grows into its space.

But the one that I like the sound of most of all is dry soil in a fine tilth. According to the book Gardening Without Irrigation by Steve Soloman, dry soil is the most effective means of
1. Preventing moisture escape, while
2. Allowing moisture from rain to penetrate to where the roots are.

Another point to consider is whether you are trying to grow too much for the area you have set aside. You can only grow (and harvest) so much in an area whilst maintaining soil fertility. You are probably experiencing that your "area" happens to include land not within your boundary. Grow a different range of plants so that the bits you don't eat are used for mulch.

Or, if you really want to get clever you could contrast the time spent weeding with the time and money spent collecting mulch. The book The New Organic Grower (Elliot Coleman) has a section about managing weeds. Not so hard. You'd use a combination of compost, weed mulch, shade, undersowing, dry soil and weeding to solve your challenge.

There will be a solution for you, Greg, that doesn't involve bringing in mulch. It just isn't the one you are currently trying.

Mike


Greg Baka wrote:
Sorry if this has already been covered, but I could
not figure out how to search the archives...

My mulch has almost all broke down into soil, and
suddenly it seems I have swapped a dependance on
composting/fertilizing for a dependence on trucking in
mulch...

In Fall of 2005 I covered my garden space with foot of
spoiled hay, and not loose fluffly hay but compacted
"books" of hay, the still-compacted segments of the
hay bales. This took multiple loads of hay. Some
things grew well in 2006 (some didn't, but that's
another post) - but the mulch was still quite thick.
Now it is 2007 and I only have an inch or two of mulch
left...

The soil is quite nice underneath, but the cover is
thin enough that weeds are easily popping up through
it.

I'm in the city, so except for leaves there is not
much mulch material readily available.

So I'm wondering what sort of treadmill I have gotten
myself onto here. I spent lots of money and time and
effort getting all that mulch in 2005. Do I have to do
it all over again now in 2007, and then again in 2009,
and again in 2011, and on and on?

The mulch did a great job of turning the the lawn into
garden, and the soil seems much improved, but am I
looking at a never-ending project and expense of
trucking in mulch???

Greg in MO

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." Seneca. 3rd century b.c.


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