Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Harvey Ussery <harvey@themodernhomestead.us>]

On 11/25/2010 05:38 PM, Tradingpost wrote:
> I water some crops, but most of our gardening utilizes the dust mulch method. 
> . .

With Paul, I have always found this notion of a "dust mulch" not only 
pretty much voodoo, but counter to everything I know about actual 
behavior of soil. Where is the most bioactive part of the soil profile? 
Right at the *surface*. Why would anyone think it's a good idea to *dry* 
that part of the soil community's habitat? And I question whether a 
"dust mulch" could possibly retain more moisture in the soil than an 
organic mulch--or even a canopy of closely planted crops in a bed.

~Harvey


--
Harvey in northern Va
www.themodernhomestead.us

My book, THE MODERN HOMESTEAD POULTRY FLOCK, will be published next year by 
Chelsea Green Publishing.