What I can I use around the tomatoes -compost or smth else?

[veggiefan]

Hi, guys! I have planted the tomatoes, cucumbers, zuchini and squashes this weekend. I bought the mushroom compost from Meynards. I put it around the zuchini and squashes plants. I really didn't like it-the texture of the compost like a clay. I never used this one - I bought it at Meynards. Before I was buying mushroom compost from Home Depot and last year had great results. Unfortunately Home Depot doesn't sell it any more. Then I started to read the info about mushroom compost and they said that the mushroom farmers use the chemicals for mushroom compost very often. They sell the mixture of humus and compost at the Home depot but it is said that you need to mix it with the soil. I can't remove the plants. The mushroom compost I was putting on the top of the soil around the plants. Anything I can use around the plants, any recommendations? They sell the compost I think in bulk here in Burnsville, MN. I appreciate all your help. Thank you.

[tomc]

Use your powers of observation. Poke a finger in the bag, or pile. If you don't like it move on to something else.

I like grass clippings for mulch. But thats just me.

[applestar]

Compost can be used as mulch. Is that what you are asking?

The texture you found may be due to very fine screening if the content of the bag was soggy wet. You may find it looks different after drying out.

[PaulF]

My idea of mulch is to first help retain water in the soil around the plants and to reduce temperatures. Second and as important is for weed control. Therefore, compost such as what you described would not fit my parameter for mulch.

Mulch in my garden is several layers of newspaper topped with straw. This acts as a weed barrier and any moisture flows through to the soil and is held in place for a longer period of time. All this eventually will break down and can be tilled back into the soil at the end of the season and becomes organic material for the soil.

Compost, while good for soil health, by itself becomes part of the soil too quickly to be of advantage for what I want mulch to do.

[veggiefan]

Thanks, guys! I have used a mushroom compost as the source of nutrients for the plants and I have noticed that they were growing faster after using it. I also used it as a mulch as a secondary source because the weeds were coming anyway but I guess the plants were keeping more water underneath it.

[applestar]

I never have enough compost to be effective mulch on its own, so what I usually do is put down a layer enough to not be able to see the ground underneath, then cover with whatever mulching material I have to use. This way, the compost organisms will be protected from the sun and feom being washed aay by rain/irrigation, and thrive in the moist protected conditions under the mulch. I like to use a mixture of "browns" and "greens" for mulch to feed the compost and the soil.

[veggiefan]

Hi, there! What are the "browns" and "greens" that you are using for mulch if you don't mind sharing? Thank you.