Mulching a Vegetable Garden
Mulching a vegetable garden is the best way to preserve moisture, retain nutrients and keep the roots cool in summer and warm in winter.
There are many great ways to create a lovely mulched garden whether it be for a garden display landscape or vegetable garden. Mulch is simply an effective way to add life to your soil, suppress weeds and immediately improve the appearance of your landscape.
Preferably organic is my pick of the bunch for soil life and health of the veggie garden.
Organic mulches break down and add humus (organic matter to the soil). This improves soil structure, drainage, and encourages earthworm and soil microbe activity.
There are many different types of organic mulches available such as straw, lucerne, bean and cane. They can come by either bale or chopped up. Cube types are also another form of mulch available.
Some places you may only be able to purchase one of the above types. My choice is lucerne as I find it easy to work with and readily available in my area.
Bark type mulches are also available for mulching a vegetable garden, but are slow to decompose and matter to the soil, this style of mulch is preferable for garden landscapes. Also, inorganic mulches such as gravel and river stone don’t break down and are also left for landscaping surrounding gardens.
The thickness of the mulch is also beneficial for the success of the vegetable garden. Up to approximately 10cm – 12cm (4 inches) is recommended for bale type mulches. Keep the mulch fluffy and light to allow oxygen and water to penetrate the garden. This is also beneficial for microbe activity.
Avoid using lawn clipping and leaf litter to your mulch, it is far better to compost this organic material first and add it later to your vegetable garden during plantings.
TIP: add organic compost and dry manures to the garden surface before mulching. Also provide your vegetable garden with a deep watering before mulching.
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Published in: Gardening
