Could I mulch anything??

[PunkRotten]

Hi,


Instead of asking about everything I can mulch, I thought it would be easier to ask what not to mulch. I guess I am just trying to gauge the usage of mulch. I used some mulch in a pot of peppers, but later found out it was a bad idea. I also know adding mulch to say, Lavender or Rosemary would be bad since they like it dry.


Generally, what are the dos and don'ts? Could I basically mulch most veggies and herbs in ground? How about pots? Reason I found the usage of mulch was bad in the pot with my pepper is that the soil was about half clay.


Thanks

[tomc]

Hi,


Instead of asking about everything I can mulch, I thought it would be easier to ask what not to mulch. I guess I am just trying to gauge the usage of mulch. I used some mulch in a pot of peppers, but later found out it was a bad idea. I also know adding mulch to say, Lavender or Rosemary would be bad since they like it dry.

If I lived where water was sold at a premium, I'd mulch everything.

Generally, what are the dos and don'ts? Could I basically mulch most veggies and herbs in ground? How about pots? Reason I found the usage of mulch was bad in the pot with my pepper is that the soil was about half clay. Thanks

Your problem with your peppers wasn't the mulch, it was the soil. Clay or loess soil has a too tiny particle size to support plants in pots. Poor outgassing, anoxic soil = dead plants.

[rainbowgardener]

I don't generally mulch pots, because in containers I use potting soil, mostly soil-less medium, which holds plenty of moisture on its own and doesn't want to be weighted down.

But I mulch anything in the ground, including herbs, flowers, veggies, shrubs....

[PunkRotten]

Are you supposed to keep the base of the plant not touching the mulch?

[tomc]

Are you supposed to keep the base of the plant not touching the mulch?

PR, it is possible with thickly applied fresh grass clippings for them to heat up and poach stem of plants.

[rainbowgardener]

Are you supposed to keep the base of the plant not touching the mulch?

Yes, otherwise the mulch can hold moisture constantly up against the stem and rot it out.

[Marlingardener]

I do live where water is at a premium, and I mulch like crazy--even pot plants that are outside. About the only thing I don't mulch is onions, since a good part of the bulb should be exposed.
Mulching right up against a stem or trunk (in the case of trees) not only holds moisture there, but often attracts insects. Mulch around a plant should look like a crater, not a mountaintop.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I do live where water is at a premium, and I mulch like crazy--even pot plants that are outside. About the only thing I don't mulch is onions, since a good part of the bulb should be exposed.
Mulching right up against a stem or trunk (in the case of trees) not only holds moisture there, but often attracts insects. Mulch around a plant should look like a crater, not a mountaintop.

and I will add, A safe hiding place for voles and other rodents.

Eric

[toddheft]

Hi,


Instead of asking about everything I can mulch, I thought it would be easier to ask what not to mulch. I guess I am just trying to gauge the usage of mulch. I used some mulch in a pot of peppers, but later found out it was a bad idea. I also know adding mulch to say, Lavender or Rosemary would be bad since they like it dry.


Generally, what are the dos and don'ts? Could I basically mulch most veggies and herbs in ground? How about pots? Reason I found the usage of mulch was bad in the pot with my pepper is that the soil was about half clay.


Thanks

I live where water is plentiful, but I mulch absolutely everything. There's no better way to keep moisture in the soil to sustain your plants and to create an environment in which worms, fungi and other soil organisms will flourish. To this day, I haven't had any pest issues (like mice) living in the mulch, or any problems with mulch being too close to the plant stem or tree trunk. It's remarkable to see how different soil is underneath a thick mulch as compared to bare ground.
Around my vegetables and fruit I use straw and also use straw to cover the veggie beds for winter. I use pine bark mulch around my perennials and to cover the flower beds in winter.