Mulch Advice
Forum Archives
Patrick
Posted: Jun-22-2005 at 7:22pm
Hello,
I posted here a while ago looking for plant recommendations for a native garden. Thanks once again for all of the help I received.
I'm now hoping you'll be able to give me some advice regarding mulch. Is there a commercially available mulch you would recommend that will help to keep down the weeds, and won't rob the soil of nutrients when it breaks down?
Thanks!
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-22-2005 at 10:45pm
We need to know where you live to suggest places to purchase mulch. For instance, I purchase garden mulch from Grimm's but that's a local business only. If you live in Seattle, that advice doesn't do you much good.
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-23-2005 at 8:41am
A warning about comercial mulch--Be sure to ask if the supplyer accept material from along the road, as that may introduce systemic week killers to the mulch--most of us dont need that! There are a few recyclers that dont accept material that has been sprayed. I was also told that early spring mulch is most likly to be safe and free of herbicides.
Carol
Patrick
Posted: Jun-23-2005 at 4:08pm
Sorry - forgot to say where I am. I live near Vancouver, BC. I mulched around my shrubs with organic compost, after I planted them in the spring. But the areas between the shrubs are being taken over by weeds. Some people have suggested that I mulch the entire garden with bark mulch. But others have said that bark mulch robs the soil of nutrients. So I'm not too sure what to use. Any recommendations?
Lisa, what kind of mulch do you use for your garden?
Thanks for the tip, cj.
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-24-2005 at 8:43am
Compost is a great mulch. Not only does it cover the ground and supress weeds but it feeds the soil. As long as the bark mulch is well aged, it will not rob the soil of nutrients. Fresh wood shaving and chunks can deplete the soil nutrients because the soil biota are so busy chewing up the nutrients there is nothing left for the soil. It's like eating junk food instead of a well-balanced, vitamin rich meal. Lot's of fast energy but it is quickly depleted.
Jeanne
Patrick
Posted: Jun-24-2005 at 3:24pm
Thanks Jeanne. Does the compost actually work well to keep the weeds down? I thought that weeds would really like it!
Screaming Eagle
Joined: Jul-16-2003
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Jun-27-2005 at 9:44am
Patrick, it shades the weed seeds that are present in your soil and thus prevents them from sprouting. But it won't prevent new weed seeds from blowing in. However, I find weeds are really easy to pull out when you have rich fluffy soil that yearly compost creates.
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-27-2005 at 10:15am
Oops, I guess I didn't make it clear that it is simply called garden mulch.
Frank
Posted: Jun-28-2005 at 11:45am
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton