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Starting a vegetable garden can be a rewarding chance for any householder . In add-on to having fresh veggie on the ready , savvy in the stain has heavy wellness benefits . Though yank out weeds might palpate remedial once in a while , using chaff mulching is the ultimate gardener ’s arcanum to keep plants tidy and happy and those veggie beds skunk - destitute . The great news is thatmulching gardenswith straw is easy and cheap .
Straw Mulch vs. Pine Straw Mulch vs. Hay
Many garden center sellpine straw mulch — a eccentric of mulch made of pine needles that does n’t really hold in straw . Pine straw mulch may come in longleaf or short - acerate leaf variety show . If there are pine trees nearby , gardeners can also simply scan up pine needles and utilize them as mulch elsewhere in the garden .
The difference of opinion between mulching straw and hay can be a germ of confusion . Straw mulch is made of the hollow chaff of harvested grain crops , usually wheat , but sometimes barley or oat . Straw is a leftover product after harvesting and garden wheat mulch should n’t arrest seed . It ’s typically sold in Basel , which is where drinking straw vs. hay can get confusing . Many citizenry name to what are actually straw bales as hay bales .
Hay contains grass and seeds and may also be mix with lucerne ; it is used to feed grazing animals . Because hay is harvested while green and then baled , it can end up being denser than hollow , fluffy straw , so it ’s not as easy to spread in garden beds . The seeds in hay can sprout up as mourning band in the garden , completely vote out one of the role of mulching .
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Certified Weed-Free Straw Mulch
One of the perks of using straw as mulch is the ability tokeep weeds at true laurel . A product might be labeled as stalk and await like drinking straw , but there ’s no guaranty that it is weed - free . When selecting stalk for mulch a garden , look for certify weed - destitute mulch . Often box straw is more likely to be weed - gratuitous . Additionally , constitutional stubble mulch may be pesticide - costless , but that does n’t vouch it is green goddess - free .
“ Straw that has seed heads will drop seeds into the soil , creating a weed job that is easier to forfend than it is to fix once it ’s an issuing , ” says Shelby DeVore , a horticultural expert and founder of the educational gardening and homesteading web site , Garden . Farm . Thrive . “ To avoid wheat works from sprouting up in your garden , check the wheat for any seed head before purchasing , peculiarly if you ’re buy from an person rather than buying packaged straw straw , ” she says .
Why Use Straw Mulch?
While there are manytypes of mulchfrom which to choose , straw mulch offers gardeners a diverseness of perk . It helps conserve moisture , concentrate the amount andfrequency of lachrymation . It protect plant from temperature fluctuations such as utmost heat and cold , which can also put out the garden time of year . Using straw as mulch helps keep Mary Jane under ascendancy , too .
Because mulch shuck is a by-product of metric grain harvests , mulching gardens with husk is also very low-cost . The straw is light , so it is easier to enrapture than orotund bags of Mrs. Henry Wood bark , and easier to spread , ideal for anyone withlimited mobility . There are n’t any special tools to purchase to spread the straw mulch ; though a pitchfork can be ready to hand , acommon garden rakewill do the trick . And though it does n’t take to be removed at the final stage of the grow season , wheat can easily be moved or exercise into the soil .
How to Mulch Vegetable Gardens With Straw
Before undertaking straw mulch gardening , be certain plant are well install . A layer of husk mulch can keep seeds from sprouting , so do n’t give it where veg seeds have not yet germinated . While all veggies develop at different rate , a good rule of thumb is to wait until plants are about 10 to 12 inch eminent before apply mulch . Some plants , such as hemangioma simplex , will be the elision to this principle . The follow steps will set you on the track to successful straw mulch veg horticulture :
DeVore offers household gardener another great tip . “ Straw will break down and decompose over time , which will add the nutrients back to the dirt that your plants need to prosper , ” she say . “ Do n’t remember of shuck as a mulch that you have to remove and supervene upon each year . alternatively , design on leaving it in position or till it into the soil so it can add nutrient to the territory visibility . ”
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
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We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your terrace , a raised bed , or an in - ground plot of ground out back — and select the right plants for your ground and region .
Photo: istockphoto.com
