I have at least 1 to 2 inch of mulch for everything I'm growing. Using straws, woodchips, and leaves. Also aged horse manure mixed with wood shavings for non-leafy green vegetables, so tomatoes.

We use dried grass. We let our Bahaya grass go to seed and then mow it. My hubby lets it sun dry for a day and then he rakes it up and puts it in the garden. We also use it as bedding in our chicken coops.

Depends on the area, climate and availability, I think. Down south I used to use pine straw that was both plentiful and good in preventing weeds and the soil from drying out. I did not like hay and straw. Being fluffy (lots of air in it) they wouldn't help to keep the moisture in. Plus they already had seeds in them.

Up here in PNW we don't have high heat issue. Mulching with hay and straw is creating a haven for slugs to hide under them. So my best choice hear is pine bark/mulch. I use it primarily as splash guard. plus at the end of season it is worked into soil as amendment. It is also inexpensive at $2 per cubic foot.

Sey

PS: I will mulch when I remove the black plastic bed covers. . That will be some time after mid June. I personally do not count "plastic" as mulch.

Straw, pine straw when I can get it, old hay, well rotted leaf mold, compost. Any weeds that sprout from straw or hay, assuming it is thickly applied, are easy to pull. I lay down 4 to 6" minimum.

Dave

How far around the base of the plant do you take it? In my raised bed...I only have it out about 1 foot away from plants.

a foot? might as well not use any ;)
i put it around 2-3 inches from the stem.

shredded leaves work great for mulch, just don't over two inches or so..

I think Ed means covering a circle with of a radius of one foot . In that case its ok. So if the plants are 2 ft apart, then effectively the whole area will be covered. But I would rather mulch the whole bed, anyway.

Sey

ah i see, that's what happens when i don't read things twice.. ;)

This year I used a nice thick layer of hay. So far it is working wonderfully, and the mulch is thick enough so far no hay seeds are sprouting. It smells nice and looks nice.

I did the whole garden with one of those big round bales which I had delivered.

Yes, 1 foot radius around plant. Thanks sey. I do wonder about the "wicking" factor that might dry out my rootball.

Agree - whole bed, not just around the plants is the best way to go and the most effective. Otherwise you are assuming that the roots are staying only within that one foot radius, and they are not.

If there is actually any wicking factor with mulch it would still be far, far less than the normal evaporation to air that takes place when one doesn't use mulch.

Dave

I use my grass clippings. Works great for me.

Use whatever you have around. Good examples listed here. I have loads of leaves, so I grind them up and use those. At the end of the season, you just dig the stuff in.

I raise rabbits. I feed them a clover / timothy hay (alfalfa in moderation). They waste more than they eat and it falls though the bottom of the all wire cages. The hay gets mixed in with the berries and creates the perfect mulch. I have a big pile of the concoction next to my garden in different stages. Some has been there for 6-months and is really nice dark brown compost. Some is fairly fresh.

I usually compost around the plants and then top it off with the fresh stuff. It feeds and holds in the moisture all at the same time. PLUS...rabbit manure is not hot. I could (but don't) side dress with fresh berries without worrying about hurting the plants. Rabbit berry tea is a favorite of the tomatoes and peppers.

When I transplant the seedlings I don't put mulch near the stem because the roly polies would chew it in half the next day. They leave direct sow seedlings alone.

Thanks everyone!

MULCH IT ! MULCH IT ! MULCH IT !

Time to remind ourselves to mulch. It has more than one advantage and benefit. As the season progresses and the weather gets warmer , it is time to do it :

-- To conserve water

--- To keep top of soil from drying quickly.

-- To help reduce weeds growing.

--- To help prevent dirt splash on leaves and reduce chance of getting diseases.

I am going to get some small pine nuggets soon.

Sey

My raised beds had been covered with black plastic from Feb til the end of May. That is 4 months.

Yesterday I removed the plastics and started mulching with pine bark mulch and nuggets. In the past I used to keep the plastic longer but with this year's warmer weather I removed it early.

Before I could only water/fertilize through the cuts. But now I can do the entire bed. This should encourage the roots to expand.

Are you mulching yet ?

Sey

Imo,
mulching is EXTREMELY important in growing tomatoes.

While Sey
made an excellent case why to mulch, for me, his last reason – “To help prevent
dirt splash on leaves and reduce chance of getting diseases” – is the most
important.

I used straw which is
good. Very few weeds. Hard to find in my area.

I also
used fabric and
I was very happy. No problems whatsoever.

I mulch from day one; some mulch 1-2-3 weeks AFTER planting.

I never understood the waiting. Unprotected, in 2-3 weeks the plants can easily get a disease. JMO.

[The pictures bellow are from 2014.]

I recommend marsh hay. Never had a problem with sprouting seeds.

Grass clippings, whole bed. Those folks who use pine straw, is that just pine needles? What do you do at the end of the season, till it in?