I only mulch with compost. I prefer the look and it feeds the soil better than wood based mulches.

I am not sure it makes much difference as to the source. I use various types of compost depending on cost and availability but my preference is for a local product known as Oly(mpic) Mountain Fish Compost. It is rich and dark and with no discernable odor and very nutrient rich for a compost.....plants grow with amazing health and vigor when mulched with this product!

I wasn't sure how it works for weed supression because you can plant directly into some composts, right? I figured it would get weedy if I used the really rich stuff. If any compost works well to feed the soil and suppress weeds, I'm in.

It does make a pretty fertile seed bed :-)) But they pull out easily and if you apply the compost liberally - ~3" or so - it will suppress weed development just as efficiently as any other mulch product.

Organic mulch will eventually become compost and that compost eventually amalgamate's with soil so it's perfectly acceptical to mulch with compost.

Make sure that the compost is finished if you intend to grow plants in it. And expect compost to last as mulch for less time than stuff whose raison d'etre is mulch.

"Make sure that the compost is finished if you intend to grow plants in it."

Oh shoot,I wish you hadn't told me that. As a way of multi tasking I plant potatoes in leaves,wood chips,grass clippings or what's available then harvest compost along with potatoes.

If the harvests are adequate, then no need to change.

Harvests are better than what I'm able to get from the black clay so I'll keep on keeping on.

Like gardengal, I always mulch with compost. I will be putting it down as soon as it cools off here a bit-still in 80s next week! ugh. I still need to finish weeding several beds.

Doesn't even need to be 'finished' to plant in directly. Lasagna gardening is essentially planting in layers of organic matter, in any stage of decomposition they might be found. Frequently quite 'raw'!!

Well, that contradicts the information that the decomposition process takes the nitrogen needed by the plants. Maybe it rightfully should be contradicted (=debunked). My thinking is that it depends on the amount of nitrogen available. It can vary greatly according to the ingredients of our compost.

I don't see any contradiction - it's not that decomposition locks up nitrogen, it's that it needs some minimum amount (all the decomposers are organisms that need protein). Browns decomposing (eg wood, sawdust) - the organisms have to bring their own and there's none to spare (at least for a bit, the lock-up is usually temporary). Greens decomposing - plenty to spare.

>"locks up" ___ Your word, not mine.

Nitrogen is needed and used continuously.

Our interest is in hobbyist gardening,not in debating linguistics. Terms are thrown around quite freely as they generally are when the mood is relaxed. So can we get over it and move along.

Four, my point was not that lock up does not occur but that the issue is not decomposition - it's the lack of nitrogen relative to the need, driven by the composition of the materials . Or simple terms, no issue in planting directly into decomposing stuff that has a healthy portion of 'greens.' plant directly into sawdust and you will have an issue. They both have decomposition happening, but the composition of the material is different.

I love it when someone battles while in agreement:

>"it depends on the amount of nitrogen available" (four)

>"t's the lack of nitrogen relative to the need"(armoured)

I honestly don't know what you're arguing with - you're the one who brought up a seeming 'contradiction' between lasagna gardening and nitrogen lock-up. Lasagna gardening is putting down 'green' stuff for composting and planting into, hence the nitrogen lock-up issue is a complete and utter red herring. I'm done.