Dare to let mulch touch plants?
garystpaul
12 years ago
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gargwarb
12 years agodarth_weeder
12 years agoRelated Discussions
How to plant seedlingss in mulch
Comments (2)Yes you are doing it correctly.. You could even take the peat moss container off and expose the roots to th soil to make it easier for the plant to take root. Number one thing- make sure your seedlings are hardened off thoroughly Number two - after they are hardened and planted, keep moist for a week or two, then you can let the soil dry.. But transplants,especially seedlings should be kept constantely moist.. Seedling roots are shallow and if let dry out, they will shrivel.. I didn't not say keep them saturated/soaked,that will lead to rot/disease, I said slightly moist, not dry, a little moist.. Some people prefer to rake off the mulch and let the sun warm the soil for a couple weeks.. Leading to quicker planting out.. Remember whats the most crucial is soil temperature.. If your soil is warmed and your not concerned with all that.. Yes just do what you said, move the mulch aside, plant in soil, and pull the mulch back.. You are right on my friend! Best of luck, Joe...See MoreCould mulch be killing my plants?
Comments (18)moonview, I won't go as far as to say that it is killing your plants; but certainly the leaves of plants react in the way you observe when they are in constant or regular contact with other elements in the land- or interior- scape. But lest I get accused of straying from the topic, my preference is not to mulch annuals - the colorful plants we replace 3 or 4 times a year, to remind ourselves of the passage of time. Let me qualify that by saying that some other conditions are attached. The first is accurate spacing. When done well, the ground (or mulch) is not visible when the plants grow out. Following from that, it is essential to provide the conditions which promote the rapid growing out of the young plants. The first is proper tilth. The most useful tool I have used for this is a mason's trowel. Then there is fertilization. "Osmocote" (no endorsement intended) works very well for the whole cycle if enough of it is incorporated. The annual bed is the only area where I'd apply a chemical (fungicide) preventatively; because if a fungus takes hold, it is a nightmare to correct. Watering is the most demanding practice. I remember my grandmother's advice - "water the flower garden in the morning and the kitchen garden in the afternoon". It is better to err on the side of "Less" - but not by too much. I have to agree with the writer who has bemoaned the misapplication of mulch in the landscape - in spite of the good advice repeated by those who have taken the pains to learn. It is my considered opinion that mulching has been cheapened by those uncaring operators who use it to cover up their multitude of sins; chief of which is indifferent weed control. Applying glyphosate immediately before putting down mulch is a waste of time and money. When done 10 days beforehand, it will translocate to all parts of the treated weeds which will continue to die even after the mulch is applied. It is worth it to treat the mulch with a good pre-emergent product - one that inhibits root-cell division and stays in place. Weed seeds are introduced by wind and other agents into the mulch layer. The pre-emergent application targets these....See MoreOkay for inorganic mulch to touch a tree's trunk?
Comments (16)Mulch. How I have come to dislike the concept, because I feel that the whole idea of mulch has been abused by Sellers Of Mulch. When I see some trees (or a single tree, out on its own, giving independence a go) and said trees have been 'mulched', I cringe. If those trees had done the mulching themselves I would never cringe. Trees know when to stop. But people in tip trucks can't seen to operate the tip button properly and before you know it, a landslide has happened, unreported of course because so many people think it's OK. And those poor trees that bravely poke from the ground under all that stuff try to carry on. But... will rain penetrate properly? Oxygen?...See Morehow to "do"companion planting /"living mulch"
Comments (20)Patty, I live in Italy! so it's VERY different from the USA! But I really appreciate all these responses to my thread. That's what a forum is for, I think: a place where you can throw out ideas, and discuss, and hear what other people say, and all the things help to stimulate thought. I am not very knowledgeable about perennials at all, and though some of the suggestions are kind of swaying from my original query about what would be good in the rose part of my project, I welcome the comments.Now, this Alchemilla mollis, for example:::I DO intend to Google this plant. Even if it is not particularly adapted to my situation, my experience has been that ...well, you Google one plant, and who knows where that info will take you??? like Bilbo Baggins, I guess.a bit...once you put your foot outside the door,who knows where you will go? And this saxifraga multicava??? looks great! will I be able to find it here? also not sure how a succulent might do in my conditions, but here again, it's another thread from Ariadne that could help Theseus out of the maze, n'cest pas?...See Moreralleia
12 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
12 years agojonhughes
12 years agoluckygal
12 years agogarystpaul
12 years agojolj
12 years agorobertz6
12 years ago
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