Mulching in the Garden

I like to use mulch in the garden.  When I have excess hay or if I let the grass get too tall before mowing and have to rake up the grass clippings, I put it in a wheel barrow and cart it into the garden.  Sometimes the cows won't eat the very bottom of the round bale.  I guess it is sort of like how some people won't eat the 'heel' of a loaf of bread.  Well, I put it to good use.


Leftover hay

Once I get it in the garden, I'll scoop it up by hand and place it all around the vegetables that are growing.  It takes a little while, but the benefits are well worth the effort.

First, it provides a barrier to crowd out weed growth.  The sunlight can't reach the weeds and they don't grow.  This saves hours of back-breaking labor pulling out nut sedge and other lousy weeds.  Too bad it doesn't work on weeds that grow from rhizomes like Bermuda grass...

Second, it conserves the moisture in the soil as the sun isn't able to penetrate down to the ground level and dry up the dirt.  This is especially helpful during periods of drought and enables your plants to remain healthy, cool and watered for longer periods between having to water them.

Third, the hay, straw or other organic material you use as a mulch becomes part of next year's soil.  It is a helpful amendment that while it decays, encourages earthworms and beneficial soil bacteria.


Hay placed as mulch around the squash plants

Finally, it solves the problem of vegetable rot.  Prior to mulching, if a vegetable such as zucchini (below) touched the wet ground, it would get an unsightly blemish where it touched the ground and would begin to go bad.  Well, when you mulch, the vegetables are healthy and beautiful from the garden to your table.
  

Zucchini!  Yum!

I'll continue to add mulch all year long, realizing all of the benefits of adding organic matter to the soil.
Thank you very mulch!