is it stupid to put mulch on my vegetable garden?
Answers:
I work in a soil testing lab, and think that applying mulch is beneficial to the point of maintaining the friablity of the soil, however, it WILL lower the available nutrients. Please be sure to add some kind of fertilizer, preferably with a high Nitrogen %. Best of luck and good gardening.
Other answers:
not at all - it helps give the ground nutrients it needs to help your plants grow.
not at all - it helps give the ground nutrients it needs to help your plants grow.
no, I use salt marsh hay it retains water and I only have to water one time during the whole season, chips, I wouldn't use those, no telling where they come from and leech into your soil
I do it every year...helps retain moisture, keeps the weeds down, insulates the roots...it's just all around good for plants...now what kind of mulch?? hardwood shredded is my fav..but.. if you use it for several years, you must keep an eye out for wood build-up in your vege garden...and make sure there are no chemicals added...also you can use straw or leaves as a mulch
No, its a great idea. First you should lay down some landscape fabric to keep the weeds down, then cover that with mulch. Keep the mulch an inch or two away from the stems on your vegetables, remove the lower leaves from your tomatoes so they don't rest on the mulch.
Any weed seeds that do come up should pull right out very easily, the soil will stay moist longer too.
find your local county composting facility, you can buy excellent garden mulch there WAY CHEAP! and it has no wierd additives
no...you will have to water less often should you go through a period of no rain plus mulch will keep the weeds down..grass clippings make excellent much as does straw..i have used finely ground cypress mulch also..you dont want to use the chunks tho..just the finely ground mulch
also next year you can till whatever you use to mulch with into the ground and make it better
no, mulch will cut the water needs and lower evaporation.
I put mulch in my vegetable garden, but i put 2 layers of newspaper down first. That prevents the weeds from growing through the mulch. The newspaper decomposes over time, and the garden usually remains weed free all summer. My mom told me this idea after watching Paul James. So far its worked for me!
Boy, if it is I have been stupid for several years now. Mulch works the same on your vegetable plants as it does on your flowers and shrubs. And it looks great also!