Straw bed covering good or bad in mid-Atlantic region

[JodiInVA-USA]

I am new to fruit/veg gardening (started last summer) In northern Virginia. I have raised beds that currently contain asparagus, strawberries and a little garlic. Based on what I've read, I thought I should cover these with a blanket of straw for the winter, and so I did this around mid-November (about 6" thick). Now I'm thinking I might have made a mistake. Our temps haven't been very cold yet (barely has dropped below freezing), and with rain, the straw looks soggy. Today I investigated a bit, and it seems like there might be some mold or something growing - a little bit of white stuff that sort of looks like cob webs or lint against the soil. I also suspect I have created a nice winter home for pests like rodents? Have I doomed the young plants I was trying to protect? Have I done the right thing? If not the right thing, is there anything I can do to recover now? Thanks in advance for any help!

[tomc]

Most of your plantation are permanent. if it was my bed, I would mulch it in south-east Ohio...

[JodiInVA-USA]

Can you define mulch, please? The reason I ask is that I was under the impression that various things could serve as mulch, and that straw was considered a preferred kind of "mulch" - for strawberries in particular (I think I just assumed it would be good for asparagus and garlic also). You seem to have something different in mind though, so I'm wondering what that would be.

[applestar]

When you put the straw down, did you loosen them into fluffy mass or did you lay down thick wads (called "flakes") that broke off of the bale?

Flakes would work well between rows of asparagus and garlic because they are dense and will completely suppress weeds, etc. but would smother if laid on top of asparagus crowns, garlic or strawberry. Typically I find my strawberries are too close and need to be carefully mulched by stuffing handfuls of straw under leaves and runners and between plants. If very cold winter is expected, then loose straw and fallen leaves layered on top of the leaves.

Yes, it has been rather mild until now, but I think colder weather will be coming in January -- not relaxing yet, at least here in NJ. Garlic is better off mulched, especially between and covered on top with loose mound of straw. Once ground starts to thaw -- fruit trees in local orchards are pruned, witch hazel starts blooming, snowdrops blooming (you might see the strawberry leaves starting to green up)... Typically end of February to beginning to March here -- a week or two earlier for you I think. Then some of the heavier mulch over the garlic and asparagus could be removed so they don't impede the garlic greens and asparagus spears from growing -- they will make their way between the straw as long as they are loose.

[JodiInVA-USA]

I just tried attaching a photo, but not sure I did it right. Anyway, I did break the bale apart (fluffy mass). I didn't try to put it between plants, though - just over top of the whole bed(s). So maybe I've crushed the poor little strawberry plants. In the case of the asparagus, I had cut it down pretty much to soil level anyway when the ferns got brown in the fall. And the garlic was a probably-failed experiment - cloves stuck into the soil probably too late to do anything regardless.

So, the warm weather and damp straw isn't necessarily a bad thing? Am I correct in thinking it might be harboring mice (or worse)? Partly, I'm just assuming they might find it appealing, but also, when I looked at the strawberry/garlic bed yesterday some of the straw seemed to have been disturbed, almost like little tunnels although not clearly defined, so it could just be settling or wind or something.

[tomc]

Unlike baking a cake, straw as mulch is pretty forgiving. Your beds look fine. No measuring cups needed.

Now that your bed is mulched, you may have to control some of your resident micro-herd. A plank laid on mulch between rows will give you a way to monitor for pill-bugs and slugs. When there are too many you'll know. Research now for control measures you can live with.

if the day never comes that you do need to control pests. The easier you'll sleep at night.

[JodiInVA-USA]

Thanks for the helpful responses!

[tomc]

Asparagus lives in nature near to water. That is one reason why seeds cleaned off of birds feeding on fruit, find a good home in ditches along fence rows.

Decay is a natural occurance with mulch, be it straw or other yard waste. Those white things are the circulatory system for mushroom families. Many plants swap fluids with those mushroom families. Both benefit from the swap.

I think your raised beds look fine.

Asparagus and rose are the swine of a garden. They want the most sun, fertilizer, and water. Both can be mildly allopathic and will try to bully more space for themselves.

If you apply mulch at least once a year, you will weed less...