If we look at a healthy natural environment that hasn’t been damaged or subjected to human disturbance, we find that nature goes to some effort to protect the soil, which is not ‘dirt’, but a complex living ecosystem, known as the soil-food web. Layers of natural materials are laid down on the ground over time, creatingContinue reading “Seven Good Reasons Why You Should Mulch Your Garden!”
Tag Archives: mulches
How Many Straw Bales Do I Need to Mulch My Garden?
Straw mulches such as hay, lucerne, pea straw and sugar cane mulch are popular for use in vegetable gardens because they’re easy to apply, and they work well to conserve water and effectively suppress weeds. These non-woody mulches breaks down very quickly, in around six months, adding carbon to the soil very quickly. They’re classifiedContinue reading “How Many Straw Bales Do I Need to Mulch My Garden?”
Chop and Drop Gardening (Sheet Composting)
Permaculture is all about working efficiently and in harmony with Nature. We can garden far more efficiently, with far less effort, and improve the soil at the same time by emulating Nature’s soil building processes through practising Chop and Drop gardening. How do most sustainable gardeners garden? At the end of each season, many gardenersContinue reading “Chop and Drop Gardening (Sheet Composting)”
Which Garden Mulch is Best for Improving Soil?
Hard woody mulches or soft non-woody straw-like mulches, what’s the difference? They both work equally well as garden mulches to moderate soil temperature, reduce water loss from the soil through evaporation, conserve soil moisture to reduce the need for watering, inhibit weed seed germination and suppress the growth of weeds. Selecting the right kind ofContinue reading “Which Garden Mulch is Best for Improving Soil?”