Marlingardener wrote:I'm not sure what "red mulch" is. Is it dyed wood chips? If so, they break down slowly and may be a little difficult to incorporate into the soil later. It also seems rather expensive to me, but then I toss nickels around like manhole covers.
Mulch is very beneficial to the garden because it keeps the soil cooler in hot weather and conserves moisture while keeping plants like tomatoes (prone to soil-borne diseases) clean. You are on the right track by using mulch. Do you have a source for straw? That's a good mulch that you can till in later. Grass clippings are good also, as are chopped leaves.
A well-tended vegetable garden is a thing of beauty that really doesn't need enhancing by expensive, colored mulch.
I second that. I use straw and it works very well, then I just till it in over the winter.