Mulches
Pros and Cons:
Really cuts down on the weeds
Organic mulches add to the soil
Plastic mulch warms up the soil
Plastics, even reds, will degrade in the sun
Red plastic mulch is supposed to improve tomato yields
Plastics don't let the water through either way, which means trickier watering
and moisture/fungus problems underneath
Landscape fabric lets in air and water, but needs to be weighted down
Organic mulches only work if you weed first.
If you have a real wet spell, organic mulches can host slugs, which are worse
than weeds
Organic mulches can enrich the soil, but they can also alter the soil ph
Mulches can reduce the need to water by minimizing evaporation in the garden
Earthworms love the dark damp spaces under mulches
Raised Bed Gardening and Mulches.
This
picture was taken in the Innovative Garden of the
Annapolis Royal
Historic Gardens, Nova Scotia. They had several types of
mulch in use. You can see where an interplanted raised bed would
benefit from mulching. I would never be able to fit my beloved
tiller in there
Other Choices:
One of my favourite gardening tools is my weeding torch. This is particularly
useful in my perennial beds where my tiller doesn't fit.
If you look at the pictures of my garden, you will see that the large beds are
carefully planted with sufficient grow room that I can still fit my tiller in.
Mulches Can Do Double Duty:
Crushed oyster shell makes an attractive mulch ... with the added bonus that it will deter kitties who do not like the feel of it on their paws AND will also deter slugs
Special Caution for Pet owners
Cocoa Bean mulch is toxic to dogs. No matter how cheap it is, its not worth the risk.
