WASHINGTON GARDENER
Mulching Tips
BY KATHY JENTZ 2QP\*DUGHQ'&SRGFDVW,UHFHQWO\LQWHUYLHZHG%O\WKH<RVWDERXW ZHHGLQJDQGPXOFKLQJ<RVWLVDODQGVFDSHDUFKLWHFWDQG&R)RXQGHU &(2RI7LOO\'HVLJQDQRQOLQHSODWIRUPIRUODQGVFDSHGHVLJQ+HUH are some of the best tips she shared for home gardeners about mulch- ing. <RVW VDLG ³:KHQ \RX PXOFK \RXU JDUGHQ , WHQG WR XVH D QDWXUDO EDUN FKLS PXOFK , RQO\ XVH QDWXUDO PXOFKHV , GRQ¶W OLNH DQ\ RI WKH G\HGSURGXFWVDV,GRQ¶WWKLQNWKDWWKH\DUHJUHDWIRUWKHVRLOV´6KH noted that cheap, inferior mulches are made from grinding up pres- sure-treated lumber that’s been dyed. “There is also a material that is ORFDOWRXVWKDW,OLNHDORWFDOOHG6ZHHW3HHW´VDLG<RVW³,WLVFRP - SRVWHGZRRGVKDYLQJVIURPKRUVHVWDEOHVDQGLW¶VEHDXWLIXOVWX̆ LI\RX FDQ¿QGLW´ Her preferred mulching material is leaf mold (partially composted OHDYHV ³,I,FDQJHWLWRUPDNHLWP\VHOILWLVVRPXFKPRUHQDWXUDO and organic. The closer it is to full compost, in my opinion, the better it is.” 7RPDNH\RXURZQOHDIPROG<RVWUHFRPPHQGVFROOHFWLQJEDJVRI leaves in the fall and putting them in black plastic bags. Set them aside in a forgotten spot, like under a deck, for a season or two. “They kind of partially decompose and form that nice kind of rich humusy mate- ULDO´H[SODLQHG<RVW “There is also a spectrum of how quickly those materials are going to break down and add back into the soil. So with our heavy clay soils, a partially-composted leaf mold like Leaf Gro soil conditioner is good DVDWRSGUHVVLQJ´<RVWVDLG:KHQVKHLVSODQWLQJVRPHWKLQJVKHZLOO also mix it in with some of the native soil in the planting holes, noting, ³,W¶VJRWWREHDJRRGKDQGIXORILW´
6KHFDXWLRQVDJDLQVWXVLQJIXOOFRPSRVWIRUPXOFKLQJSXUSRVHV³,W¶V QRWJRLQJWRUHDOO\KROGWKHZHHGVEDFN,GRQ¶WWKLQNLW¶VJRLQJWRGR much for that, but it’s going to do great things for your soils,” said <RVW³,WKLQNFRPSRVWLVWKHEHVWWKLQJZHFDQEHDGGLQJWRRXUVRLOV ,¶GUDWKHUVHHSHRSOHXVLQJWKDWWKDQDQ\VRUWRIIHUWLOL]HUV´ <RVW H[SODLQV WKDW PXOFKHV VKRXOG EUHDN GRZQ TXLFNO\ DQG DGG nutrients back to the soils. However, she has some clients who want mulches that stay on the soil surface for long periods of time and don’t QHHG IUHTXHQW UHDSSOLFDWLRQ ³, DOZD\V WHOO SHRSOH LI LW GLVDSSHDUV WKDW¶VDJRRGWKLQJ´H[SODLQHG<RVW³,WGLGQ¶WJRDZD\ZLWKWKHZLQG LWZRUNHGLWVZD\LQWRWKDWKDUGSDQFOD\VRLO,W¶VKHOSLQJWRDPHQGLW´ 6KH LV DOVR QRW D IDQ RI UXEEHU PXOFKHV <RVW VDLG ³7KH\ DUH QRW going to do anything good for your soil in my opinion. They do stay around for a long time, so there is that… Some people will use it under SOD\JURXQGVDQG,GRQ¶WHYHQORYHLWWKHUHDV,GRQ¶WUHDOO\ZDQWP\ kids playing on a bunch of ground-up tires. But there are poured rub- EHUL]HGVXUIDFHVWKDWFDQEHQLFHXQGHUSOD\JURXQGVWKDWVWD\SXWDQG don’t move around. Another choice.” ,I\RXDUHJRLQJWRGRJUDYHOPXOFKHVIRUDPRUHORQJWHUPPXOFKLQJ DOWHUQDWLYHLQVD\DKHUERUURFNJDUGHQDUHD<RVWUHFRPPHQGHGD weed barrier underneath it, but even that will not permanently block out weeds. “After a couple years, there will be dust, soil, bird poop, DQGZHHGVHHGVWKDWJHWLQWRLWDQGDFFXPXODWH,¶YHVHHQWKRVHZKLWH marble chips that people use around foundation plantings. Well, that looks great now and maybe next year, but don’t think that that’s not JRLQJWRQHHGSXOOLQJXSDQGZHHGLQJLQD\HDU´H[SODLQHG<RVW )LQDOO\<RVWVXJJHVWHGWKDWKRPHRZQHUVWKLQNDERXWKRZWKH\KDYH their mulching materials delivered, and to go with bulk deliveries if DWDOOSRVVLEOH³,WKLQNEDJVDUHSUREDEO\WKHHDVLHVWIRUWKHDYHUDJH
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