The other day, Ellie May’s mom posted about Mount Mulch, the pile of mulch that resides in her driveway often for a good part of the summer because she detests dealing with it. I can relate. So much so that reading her post prompted me to call and order my very own Mt. Mulch.
I haven’t mulched for at least three years. I don’t think it’s particularly good for one’s garden (sucks all that nitrogen up breaking it down), and certainly not good in the quantities I see being applied to my neighbors’ yards by the professional landscaping crews they hire. But go a few years without it and you’ll remember the benefits of mulch. Last year I topdressed all my garden beds with about three inches of compost. This year I feel like I’m seeing the rewards from that, and I think that’s something I’ll continue to do every three years or so. But let me tell you, the weeds almost killed me last year. At first the compost held them back, but by the end of summer it was a losing battle, and, ultimately, I gave up. And this year I’m seeing what happens when you sit back and let the weeds win. All their babies, plus the perennial weeds, REALLY take over. I’ve been pulling them, but it’s not helping. Within what seems like minutes, they are back.
So I got four yards of mulch delivered. I just sort of guessed at the amount. Much of the “main” garden (I call it the main garden only because it was the first one I made), is so packed with plants that mulch is not needed. (Have I mentioned that I’m becoming very fond of ground covers and quickly spreading plants?) And I was able to much the circle garden with the bits of the pine stump we ground out, so that one is taken care of.
Anyway, I feel a lot like Ellie May’s mom does about the whole chore: what a bore. That said there is really nothing better, in my opinion, than a freshly mulched garden. It looks so beautiful. In fact I may even use it as an excuse to have a small party to show off the garden. That’s assuming I get all the beds weeded and the mulch spread. Better not send out invitations yet.
What would you like to know? Search, or jump to categories below.
