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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Mulch suggestions

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  • From: Joan Vibert <joan AT windwalker-farm.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Mulch suggestions
  • Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 08:25:19 -0600

Rick - We have used hay, ours and others, for mulch for quite some time. I
don't find that hay, if deep enough, introduces any more weed seeds than
what we get from airborne weed seeds. For years I have shaken out the hay
over the beds. One year it took us two full days just to cover the potato
beds.

I tried wood chips one year on the strawberries and found it to be very
unsatisfactory - it left gaps for those airborne weed seeds to nestle in and
a lot of nourishment for them to get started with. Plus it didn't break
down eventually as I would have liked.

On Sunday we just rolled big rounds over the garlic beds for mulch. I'd
read everyone on the list talking about it and decided to try it since I was
way behind, time wise. Other than choosing a day with 30 mph winds, I'd say
it was quite successful and is giving me thoughts about the potato beds, for
sure. I'll possibly widen them because I can cover so much with a big
round. These were really big ones, too. Raised the front end of our old
Case right off the ground - maybe 1200 pounds. It put a nice heavy mulch
cover over the garlic beds and overlapped well into the paths. Often its
the edges of the garlic beds that get the really stubborn weeds that you
can't get with a wheel hoe. So we'll see - sure was quicker than shaking
out bales.

Joan
Windwalker Farm
Ottawa, Kansas





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