An organic mulch will decompose slowly as it is incorporated into the soil. It will add nutrients to the soil, make it looser and provides good living conditions for earthworms, which help in the aeration of the soil, and for many micro-organisms.
Some good mulching materials include hay, which has already begun to decompose; grass clippings after they have started to dry and turn gray; composted or shredded leaves; straw mixed manure, peat moss that is mixed with sawdust or wood chips, peat moss used along will dry out and pack down and water will not be able to penetrate through it. Pine needles, sawdust, wood chips, are also very good mulching materials, but may need a little more time to counteract their acidity, and of nitrogenous fertilizer, that compensates for the nitrogen used by the microorganisms that cause decay. Black plastic strips that are sold as mulching material in garden supply stores won't decompose. They are mostly used for soil protection and certain plants, such as melons, that grow faster under the heat conserving black plastic.
A thick layer of mulching material should be placed among your plants and between each row when your seedlings are about 4 inches high. As the summer progresses along and your mulch breaks down you need to add more. Then sprinkle with nitrogenous
fertilizer to hasten the decomposition.
It you keep a cover of mulch on your garden, the soil will take longer to warm up and dry in spring than any unmulched soil. For early planting, push aside the mulch in the areas you intend to make seed furrows, now you need to wait for the ground to warm up and dry.
Healthy Garden Hints. Here are a few simple rules to follow in order to protect your vegetables from diseases and discourage pest infestations:
- Choose the disease-resistant varieties of seeds whenever you can.
- Store bought plants need to be inspected carefully. Signs of damage could be spotty or discolored leaves.
- Remove and discard away any diseased plant. Don't compost it.
- Rotating crops helps prevent the spread of soil-borne diseases, especially cabbage and its relatives.
- Weed often as possible and dispose of any that harbor plant-eating pests.
- Don't work in your garden immediately after a rainstorm. Wet leaves are more susceptible to damage and disease, and walking on top of rain-soaked soil will harden it.
- After harvesting crops, destroy all the remains of the plants. If the remains are still healthy, they can go to your compost pile.
