fuzzymuffin
Active member
When growing outside, do you prefer to mulch around you plants? Why or why not and, if you do, what do you prefer to mulch with?
Do you mulch around your plants?
- Thread starter fuzzymuffin
- Start date
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michael68
Hey guys could I use a Cocoa mulch?
I have a bag of stuff that's labeled as an organic cocoa mulch.
I have a bag of stuff that's labeled as an organic cocoa mulch.
wisco61
Member
You can but its poisonous to dogs if that is any concern.
I use cypress mulch. Hardwood or other materials that rot harbor moulds around the base and they disapear as the season goes on. cypress doesnt rot.
I used to do what greenmax does, but with leaf blight infecting hiding in dead plants and in every piece of veg around, it dont use it anymore, i just spray it good with a long acting systemic fungicide.
I used to do what greenmax does, but with leaf blight infecting hiding in dead plants and in every piece of veg around, it dont use it anymore, i just spray it good with a long acting systemic fungicide.
To mulch, or not to Mulch.
To mulch, or not to Mulch.
Depends on your conditions. If you grow in a hot dry area I would mulch with cyprus chips. We also use Kiawe or Ironwood chips. They don't rot either.
If, like me, you live in a damp humid place, I do not mulch. Then you want to keep the soil as dry as you can. Mulch traps water that I would rather evaporate off. The drier you can keep them, the less problems you will have with WPM and rot.
To mulch, or not to Mulch.
Depends on your conditions. If you grow in a hot dry area I would mulch with cyprus chips. We also use Kiawe or Ironwood chips. They don't rot either.
If, like me, you live in a damp humid place, I do not mulch. Then you want to keep the soil as dry as you can. Mulch traps water that I would rather evaporate off. The drier you can keep them, the less problems you will have with WPM and rot.
Truthbesaid
Member
Does anyone mulch with hays?
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michael68
People definitely do.
Humboldtlocal and a few other outdoor big plant growers use hay, seen it in their pics.
Truthbesaid
Member
Ya I've seen the same pictures from some of the big outdoor growers up north. I guess I should of been a bit more specific on what I was asking. Does using hay have any adverse effects with PH or mold or anything Or is it neutral ? Sorry for being to vague in my last post
grimcreeper
Member
I've used hay when I ran some in the backyard. Guerilla, I have used dead surrounding vegetation in backcountry grows but DS Toker Md's comment on leaf spot has me rethinking. I've been afflicted with this in my humid part of the country and am going to forgoe it this year.
Wolff
Member
If your soil is mostly clay you can use a few big chunks of clay around the base of the plant. Holds moisture in very well. Some grass or weeds may need to be placed over just to get rid of the red clay appearance if this is a concern for you. I've done this with good success. Even with no rain for 10-14 days the soil underneath the chunks is still cool and moist.
simos
Member
Incorrect, they mulch with STRAW, not hay.
Hay bales are made up of grasses. They still have grain/seeds attached. Straw bales are comprised of only the stalks of plants, and thus do not have seeds or grains attached. Hence, mulching with hay will give you lots of weeds sprouting around the base of your plants, whereas straw won't.
Personally, I like to use decomposed granite. It's cheap (though not as cheap as straw), it looks nice, and it really helps to evenly distribute water. It provides a certain amount of moisture retention help (depending on how thick of a layer is applied), but not as much as the standard organic options.
Even though leaf spot is a huge enemy I suggest any guerrilla to use mulch for security reasons. Nothing sticks out like 6 - 10 holes of fresh earth. Especially if we are all out early spring before all the new growth is up. I always put dead native vegetation covering my holes after digging them.
Now if you want to remove that vegetation after you plant I think that’s acceptable because by then the new growth of the native vegetation now provides security. My 2 cents
I often use plate sized rocks. When i was a kid, we hunted earthworms and anytime you turn over a rock, there's more moisture and worms!
Ive used hay a lot. Ive taken it straight from the roll bale and used it, but dead vegetation is where the blight lives during winter and come spring it realeases its spores so i cant use it any longer..
Ive used hay a lot. Ive taken it straight from the roll bale and used it, but dead vegetation is where the blight lives during winter and come spring it realeases its spores so i cant use it any longer..
ganjasuiteseat
Member
alfalfa hay is tits
Leroy Brown
Member
I don't have the blight problems in my area otherwise things might be different, but I've always used nearby native grasses.
