Hello,
I've heard about laying straw down as mulch to keep weeds down & moisture in soil. My neighbors did it in their garden last year and there was some kind of grass seed in the hay that made the weed problem worse. My little garden is not to weedy, but they've given me a patch of theirs and the grassy stuff is a real pain. Is it too late to lay down the straw? will they weeds die out? What else can I mulch with (I know about grass clippings, but my lawn service doesn't bag clippings)? I'm afraid the neighbors would be a bit wary of me putting any more straw in their gardens.
Thanks!
Hi Zap,
It's a bit late for this info for this year, but I think I know what the problem is. You mention straw and hay. There is a difference. Straw is golden coloured. It comes from the stalks of wheat, barley or oats after they have been harvested for grain.
Hay is usually green coloured and is made by cutting grass, timothy, alfalfa or a combination of these; usually when in flower. This means some of the early bloomers are already producing seed. Hay almost always has seeds and therefore weeds.
Straw sprouts are usually a little bit of the grain that was missed by the combine when it was harvested. They're never a problem as a weed since when the straw is spread it is generally fluffed enough that the sprouts dry out and die.
So I'm thinking hay was used. Straw is better. You can also use shredded newspaper - the black print or even shredded junk mail.
Newt
It's a bit late for this info for this year, but I think I know what the problem is. You mention straw and hay. There is a difference. Straw is golden coloured. It comes from the stalks of wheat, barley or oats after they have been harvested for grain.
Hay is usually green coloured and is made by cutting grass, timothy, alfalfa or a combination of these; usually when in flower. This means some of the early bloomers are already producing seed. Hay almost always has seeds and therefore weeds.
Straw sprouts are usually a little bit of the grain that was missed by the combine when it was harvested. They're never a problem as a weed since when the straw is spread it is generally fluffed enough that the sprouts dry out and die.
So I'm thinking hay was used. Straw is better. You can also use shredded newspaper - the black print or even shredded junk mail.
Newt