Eco-gardening is at its best in The Monday Garden
June 15, 2003, Issue 64
Look at the ground: Mother Earth does NOT run around naked. In nature, soil is always covered with plants, dead leaves, rocks or something. Note the oak leaves around this naturalized Star of Bethlehem in a wooded area in my local park.
Unless highly compacted, bare earth erodes away, leaving only roots and rocks. To me, nothing is more forlorn than a winter garden bed of exposed, frozen soil except, perhaps, a summer garden turning to mud in heavy rain.
Do what Mother Earth wants, and gardening's a lot easier. Her secrets are: before planting prepare the earth by digging in compost, use plants that will thrive in the existing conditions, and then, mulch. A layer of wood chips, compost or other organic material over the soil:
1. Conserves moisture,
2. Protects roots from extreme heat and cold,
3. Nourishes the earth,
4. Controls erosion,
5. Cuts down on weeds, and
6. Looks good.
These results are totally guilt-free since you're saving water, preventing erosion, and adding only good things to the environment. My mother calls the shredded cedar mulch she uses "plant vitamins" since it fosters noticeably larger and happier plants.
Further, I don't know about you but I'm highly adverse to repetitive maintenance work. Mulch discourages weeds! Thanks also to Mrs. E's farmers: the microbes that break down organic mulch, releasing nutrients, and the earthworms that carry the nutrients down to the roots. Better them than me.
Looks matter. A fresh coat of mulch pulls the garden together visually, hides flaws (like makeup), and prevents mud splashing.
While many materials are used for mulch (oyster shells, seed husks, shredded soda bottles), some are better. Use organics to nourish the soil but watch out for those that deplete soil nitrogen as they rot. Cedar's supposed to be better than pine for this reason. Last year's compost is great. Consider the source: is it safe (e.g no wood preservatives with arsenic), and a renewable resource or good recycling? Choose mulch that's coarse enough to let air through and heavy enough to not blow away easily.
Consider rocks and paving materials. Here's how my older brother has been fighting Colorado's extended drought:
Through the worst of the drought, I've begun experimenting with rock mulch over compost. The rocks are mostly flattish, roundish river rock ranging from fist- to dinner-plate- size. They have a variety of colors and textures. Some are laid flat, some on edge, and some in layers. Since local watering law (and good sense) restricts watering to hours of darkness, water doesn't steam off, but quickly soaks in. In the winter, with dead plants trimmed out, the patterns of the rocks are themselves a garden with colors that change with dampness and light and with senses of tension and motion in their patterns. Even on hot, dry, 100-degree days with no water for three days, I can turn over a rock and find the underlying compost moist.
Mulch is great but stay in balance. Plant roots need air, so never put down more than 2" of mulch unless you want to kill the roots underneath, including the area trees. Don't cover the plants' crowns. Over-mulching can also provide habitat for slugs and other pests.
Note: this article was updated September 11, 2004
Photo credits: Sue Sweeney
© Sue Sweeney 2003
What the readers said :
MULCH MAKES SENSE !!!! Kal (NY)
What an interesting chapter -- and it interesting what Bill's doing. Who would have thought that rocks would hold in the moisture. Liz (CT)
I did receive the first of your gardening newsletter. It was very informative and well-written. I am a big composter and your suggestions were duly noted. Thanks and keep them coming. Best, Michael (CA)