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  • From: Michael Meredith <meredith848 AT yahoo.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Market-farming] mulching
  • Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:07:42 -0700 (PDT)


In urban areas, the main agricultural activities are mowing (by
far), mulching (for looks and weed control), then comes planting,
trimming trees, etc.
This is similar to rural areas, with much farmland devoted to
grass(much of it mowed or grazed), most woodlands heavily mulched
(naturally), and some planting, tree trimming, etc. going on.

In all my years of mulching, and seeing hardwood branch and bark
mulches applied, I have never seen a bug, slug, or other problem
associated with it. I can only assume that those who do have problems
are doing it wrong.My neighbor makes a fair part of his income applying
the stuff.

Mulching is a million dollar industry in any major city, perhaps a
billion or two in the whole US. It happens mainly in the fall.

I plan to collect lots of leaves this year, mulch with some, shred
others for adding to compost, and leave a good few others to build my
new leaf bag insulated, $50 , 144 sf, solar heated, greenhouse/ hobo
house/root cellar (with a discarded ceramic tile floor, grouted with
silicone caulk to be a complete vapor barrier).... ....20 inches of
insulation, and thrown away doors will work just fine........ ......... .....
............ .......

............ ......so, conclusion, mulch is good, though it CAN blow
around and get in the way, and some people say that it gave them bug
problems(hey, yank it away if it does that, and put it back later, or
compost it).

I forgot to say, many moons ago I worked for the Cox Farm. We mulched 5
acres with hay ( tomatoes).Thats lots of hay. Usually, he used plastic mulch,
which is a mulch, and an environmental nightmare at the same time.

Eric never said anything about bug problems, though the first time they
tried it , the hay seeded itself ferociously, so they got better hay.

I think plastic mulch can make slug problems, too.

Michael



  • [Market-farming] mulching, Michael Meredith, 09/14/2009

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