Answers To Your Questions About Vegetable Garden Mulch
James asks…
Can I use dyed black mulch in my vegetable garden?
I’m trying to figure out if the same black triple-shredded mulch I use for the flower beds would have any effects on my vegetable plants. Anyone know if there are harmful chemicals in the dye they use or the process they use to make the mulch?
Green Thumb answers:
I don’t know about any threat from chemicals leaching ito the soil but the black mulch will increase the soil temperature. Right now, that’s a point of concern here in Los Angeles with our heat wave. From fall to spring, that would not be a bad thing. But I can’t help regarding the dye and what it’s made from.
Good luck.
Carol asks…
best mulch for vegetable garden?
Vegetables include broccoli, spinach, cabbage, capsicum and tomatoes. All established and growing well.
Green Thumb answers:
I’d have to disagree with both. My experience with both compost and straw has not been good. Many times you find compost with weed seeds in it. Straw often has to sit for several months for all the weed killers to wash out of it, and then it is often full of nutgrass seeds.
My best cheap mulch has been newspapers with a topping of garden soil to hold it down. If you’re not cheap, order the paper mulches from a garden supply outlet. The red ones are supposed to work wonders for Tomatoes.
Ruth asks…
What’s the best mulch for a vegetable garden?
I’ll probably have a little bit of the most common stuff–tomatoes, peppers, beans.
Thanks.
Green Thumb answers:
While wood chips, sawdust and pine straw are good for a flower bed, don’t use them in your vegetable patch. They all can harbor insects, are high acid and the main disadvantage is that when they start to break down (rot) the process will rob much needed nitrogen from the soil. Compost, rotted barnyard manure, old hardwood leaves, sphagnum moss, hay and straw all work well for veggies.
Donna asks…
Has anyone ever used moss for mulch in thier vegetable garden?
A friend of mine has a lake in his yard and every year moss grows out of control. This year I picked up a truck load and blended it in my compost pile , which is very healthy. Since then though, I discovered grubbs by the hundreds. I’m wondering if this was a good idea or not. I never saw any grubbs before, could it be that the moss had the larva in it? Or is this just normal for a compost pile?
Green Thumb answers:
Moss harbor critters like red bug and mosquitoes,if you would like to put it to good use wash it in diluted Clorox then rinse well it is good for holding in moisture.
Charles asks…
home & garden. Is it ok to use lawn grass clippings as mulch in a vegetable garden?
Green Thumb answers:
Grass clippings are all I use in my vegetable garden. I add them throughout the summer and they compost in place. My soil is terrific, with very little effort. Just make sure that you don’t turn green clippings in to your soil as that depletes available nitrogen. Once they’re dry it’s fine. I have a very weedy lawn but haven’t had much trouble with weeds in the garden at all. Straw does work great too but the years that I used hay I was overrun with clover. Between that and the fact that grass clippings are free it was a clear choice for me!
Laura asks…
I’m planting a vegetable garden. When should I apply the mulch?
I’ve already weeded, turned-up the soil, and applied some pete top-soil. I’m planting the bulbs and such next weekend; should I spread the mulch today and then clear it away around the planting spots, or do it after I plant?
Green Thumb answers:
I would say put it down now in order to stop weed growth and then when you go to plant the plants or seeds make sure you make a space in the mulch as you are planting. If you wait too long, the weeds will come back in force before the plants are up or big enough to put the mulch down. You can make tiny cages for the plants from some wire fencing you can get at like Lowes or Home depot. That way you know exactly where you planted. Make sure that when your plants do come up that you water them in the morning and not evening as the slugs come out at night and the water doesn’t have enough time to get into the soil which makes it easy for the slugs to get at your seedlings and munch. If you aren’t getting steady rain, then try to water the garden every other day or so. If you are planting melons they will need more watering as they are a good part water themselves fruit wise. If you can afford it get a nice soaker hose and drape that thru your garden, it can save you money when watering as you can turn it on for an hour and then turn it off and the water goes directly to the roots of the plant and not flying everywhere if you used a sprayer on the plants.
Hope this helps!!
John asks…
garden mulch?
I put mulch on my vegetable garden. Then later, I realized it says on the back, do not use on vegetable gardens or near anything edible. I am going to pick out what I can, but is my garden contaminated? Do you know if I’ll run into any problems?
Green Thumb answers:
The mulch is treated with some sort of chemical that will be picked up by the vegetables and its more than likely poisoners. Check a bag of the mulch and find out whats in it, until you know I wouldn’t eat any of the veggies.
Lizzie asks…
Best type of mulch for a vegetable garden?
Hi.
I live in australia and it gets pretty hot here. I have had a veggie garden for a while now. Im going to buy some mulch today but I’m not sure which type. The soil is part manure, part loam, part sand and part organic compost. Im looking for somthing on the top to stop weeds and keep in moisture.
Somthing cheap and easy like sugar cane or straw… Any ideas would help.
Green Thumb answers:
A lot of materials are good for mulching. Straw works well and makes the garden look nice and neat. Also when they decompose they add organic matter to the garden. Do not use hay, which contain a lot of grass seeds. I have also used cardboard, Kraft paper and bark mulch. You can also use partly decomposed grass clippings if you don’t apply harmful chemicals to your lawn. Let the green clipping turn brown and then apply at the base of the beans, eggplants or pepper plants, they work fine too. Good luck and happy gardening!
Sharon asks…
What do I do with my vegetable garden’s mulch after the harvest?
In fall do I leave it there? I’m a newb and used cedar! Was told cedar is long to brak down. Do I have to remove it or is the winter snow and year decompose it? How will I sow my gaden next spring? So many questions.
Oh man this is crazy! Was told on a forum to urinate in water ans spread that over the cedar! Nitrogen in urine would be a great accelerator?! Any one heard of this? LMAO! Not sure my mother would like me to do that to her garden.
Green Thumb answers:
The answer to both of your questions is yes leave it the ceader will rot down just till it in after the garden dies back run your mower over it then till it in let it alone over the winter if you rake your yard put the leaves in the garden just spread then out till them in next spring well just see the link below hope this helps
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