Last week I posted my #3 garden fundamental— mulching! And I listed the multitude of benefits you can gain from this one simple step.
At the risk of a super long post— I opted to save the discussion about WHAT to mulch with for this week! So this is gardening fundamental #3.5!
While gardening, we always use mulch, especially in my deep mulch vegetable gardens. I’m often asked what my favorite mulch is— and the truth is I do have a favorite but I don’t just stick to just one type of mulch. I have a few go-to options— all of them are natural and organic.
Mulching Options
I avoid plastic and landscape fabric cuz they’re not natural and result in waste products that only serve to further pollute our environment. While you can use crushed shells and stones, they don’t readily break down to improve your garden soil. There are better options.
My favorite go-to mulch is hay!
But not just ANY hay— We recommend using hay from the first cutting before ANY grass or weeds go to seed. For our location in North Dakota, that is the first week of June. (Adjust the timing for your location.)
At this point all that lush fertility is there! The plant hasn't spent any of it's energy working to flower and produce seed yet. And there are no grass seeds to germinate and cause problems when you bring the hay into the garden!
In the middle of mulching the east garden with fresh hay around mid-June
We cut this lush new growth of alfalfa/hay mix, containing both Brome and June grass. We let it dry down into a sweet smelling hay, then rake and bale it into small square bales that can easily be carried into the garden.
Where to Find It
Sourcing weed free hay that is also free of any chemical contamination can be difficult. I recommend finding a local organic farmer who you can work with to produce the hay you need.
See if you can locate a nonprofit educational organic farming group in your area. Check to see if they have any publications with a classified ad section, or ask if they could steer you to some possible sources.
The Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society (NPSAS) has a searchable directory— you can access it here. In Minnesota, contact The Sustainable Farming Association or the Land Stewardship Project to make inquiries.
How Much Hay Mulch Do I Need?
Our garden areas are approximately 90 x 90 and 60 x 60 square feet. The area we hay is 2 acres. That gives us more hay than we need in one year. Besides mulching the gardens, we also use hay for things like mulching our raspberries and covering carrots in the late fall, prior to digging them right before freeze-up.
The east garden has 27 rows, not counting the rows along the fences, with 3 feet between rows. We normally use 5 bales per 90 foot row; so with 3 feet between rows you could expect to cover about 18 row feet with one bale of hay. Hope this helps you estimate what you will need to mulch your garden space.
Straw Mulch
I also like using straw— we use straw as mulch in our asparagus patch-- but it really is second best. Let me explain!
Straw is the dried down stalk of grain that has put all of its nutritional value in the seed or grain it produced. The stalk is still organic matter but there is nothing green there and it won’t be adding much in terms of fertility.
Another issue with straw is that the grain is harvest after any weeds that were present have also gone to seed. If the grain field was weedy, the weeds will be baled with the straw, and you will be hauling them into your garden! Like I said, you can have the same issue with hay— if the grass and any weeds have already gone to seed. So be warned.
Shredded Leaf Mulch
I love to use shredded leaves as a mulch. They’re especially easy to work with in a raised bed situation— and if you have trees in your yard, leaves are abundant and free every fall. And I know that my leaves are free of pesticides.
Tree roots are able to mine nutrients and mineral from deep within the soil profile— cycling those nutrients into the leaves and then back onto the soil surface as the leaves fall. As they decompose, they provide an incredibly rich soil amendment!
Leaf pile ready for shredding
Shredded leaves are easier to work with and less prone to blowing away in our relentless winds. To shred leaves a couple of options are to use a mulching mower or a string trimmer. The string trimmer method can be cumbersome— you’ll have to put the leaves in a large container and shredding any quantity will put a strain on your arms. It IS a great workout though!
A less strenuous option is get yourself an electric leaf mulcher— then you can just plug it in and drop the leaves through it. You can even bag ‘em if you like! Your leaf pile will be reduced. The company claims the reduction in volume is a ratio of 11 to 1— going from 11 bags of leaves down to 1 bag.
Local Arborist Wood Chip Mulch
Wood chip mulch is a great option in your flower gardens, walkways, and ornamental plantings. We’ve not used in our vegetable gardens. The wood chips can be relatively heavy and if any of it gets dislodged into your planting row, it can inhibit germination and emergence. The little seedlings have a hard time ‘lifting’ those chips of wood to break through into the sunlight.
That said-- once your plants are established, wood mulch can be a great, slow decaying option. Check with your local arborists!
Wood chips ready for mulching
For tree service companies, disposing of all those wood chips can be a huge expense. So they may just give them away for free. This saves them on fees and transportation— and you benefit too!
You might also find a local company that offers free mulch deliveries! But be aware that the minimum delivery may be quite large.
Wood chip mulch offers the same mulching benefit— improving the soil as it decomposes in place. Don’t worry— it will not rob the soil nitrogen if it’s laid on top of the soil— and not incorporated into the soil.
Vs. Bagged Wood Mulch
Beware of bagged wood mulches— they can contain dyes and may also contain pallet wood, which could have been soaked or exposed to any number of things, during it’s life as a pallet, that would not be good for your garden.
Avoid Ditch Hay
Make sure to avoid any hay from road ditches. In our area, the county weed board checks road ditches for noxious weeds, such as leafy spurge or Canada thistles. Any resulting herbicide applications can leave persistent chemical residues. You do NOT want to bring any chemical contamination into your garden.
Mulching your garden is a good strategy no matter your garden setup and size. Hope these mulching options inspire you. You can do this!
Your garden coach,
Theresa