Grow Your Own Magazine

This is my first year with my garden and it was neglected before. This means I have weeds aplenty trying to compete with the veg and flowers/shrubs.

What kind of mulch is best for veg plots? I saw Supersprout's little article and noticed that there seemed to be a straw-type affair used. Is that right?

All I have to hand is woodshavings (of the horsey standard). Are they suitable for using as mulch/weed prevention or are they a complete no-no?


Diane

Hi there Sluglobber.
Unfortunately, and very sadly, Supersprout died last year having been a superb member of this - and other- forums.
She is greatly missed.

To answer your question....I think woodshavings would alter the pH of your soil- it's generally pine( isn't it?? ) which is acidic.
I imagine too that they would not be as free draining as straw.
As you can see- I'm not too sure , although my gut feeling tells me - no.

Anyone else tried woodshavings??

Suprsprout used barley straw if I recall????

Aw, that's really sad! Thanks for the advice. I do think you're right about pH. Barley straw is much cheaper anyway, so I'll try that.

RIP Supersprout - see, you're helping little novices like me, even from 'the other side'!

I have access to unlimited ammounts of unrotted,strawy manure.Would this be benificial as a mulch?and around what?.

Why don't you turn the unrotted strawy manure into ROTTED strawy manure Polly?
Even a couple of months will take the 'heat' out of it and then you will have a fine mulch!

Or you could lay cardboard or newspaper over your beds and put the strawy manure on top. It will keep down the weeds and you should be able to plant your winter stuff through it in a couple of months!

__________________
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

If you can chat up the local farmer and ask him for some straw. He may be willing to give you some that he can't use for his stock because it is old. Mine has given me two huge round bales already this year.

Think that I have solved the slug problem. Before I put the mulch down I scatter some slug bait on the ground. There doesn't seem to be any damage and neither have I seen any dead slugs.

It is working for now anyway.

__________________
Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poet