Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Mike <mike.lists@mlxvi.org>]

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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