permaculture

["Sharon Gordon" <gordonse@one.net>]

> on 4/18/02, bmn@iglou.com wrote:
>
> > This mulching will inhibit a lot of what is already on the site, but
> > typically the soil dies underneath.
>
Toby wrote:
> That's never been my experience. All the soils that I've deep mulched,
> whether clay, sandy, or what have you, show an immense increase in soil
> life, organic matter, and general tilth, down to a foot or

For all except one mulch, I have gotten better results as Toby describes
from the mulching.  The one exception was a mulch applied by a previous
owner which appeared to be a finely shredded rough bark (rather than a
chipped bark).  This formed a nearly impenetrable interlocking water
shedding layer and the soil under it was dead, dry, and infertile.  Most any
other kind of plant material, other than something like walnut, works
wonderfully.

Sharon
gordonse@one.net