Mulch

[Sawzall77]

What kind of mulch is best to use over soil for the plants... cedar mulch perhaps?

 

[ganga gurl420]

Not wood mulch no. Straw mulch is probably most common

 

[Sawzall77]

Hmmmm.... I already bought it lol. Should I not use and return? I got it at Home Depot I think all they have is wood mulch...

 

[ganga gurl420]

Unless you have a flower bed or something else you want to mulch. You can ask them if they have straw mulch. Usually kept in a different department.

 

[Sawzall77]

Ok I will do that... thanks for your help!

 

[ganga gurl420]

P.s. wood tends to pull nitrogen from the soil and can add acidity to the ph. Over all it's not highly recommended by most growers.
You can also use more organic mulches like leaf mold, lawn clippings...oh wow the list goes on. But you def want something that can break down easily and then can be later worked into the soil when it decomposes.

 

[SuperNutz]

It will take time to affect PH, and only when it's decomposing(below ground). If you just want to retain moisture of the soil with a top dress of mulch, go right ahead.

 

[ganga gurl420]

Personally I still wouldn't use it. The only benefit I see is that I will keep harmful bugs at bay. A lot of feeder roots sit near the top of the soil and I would never risk having even an inch or two get too acidic for nute uptake.
There are very few grows I see with people using any type of wood as a mulch. There is a reason for that.

 

[too larry]

Many folks use wood chips in their veggy gardens and orchards. But the best mulch for weed is alfalfa straw.

 

[SuperNutz]

For most people acidity isn't an issue. It's the decomposition process that creates acidity. Even the myth of pine needles acidifying soil has been debunked.

 

[too larry]

For most people acidity isn't an issue. It's the decomposition process that creates acidity. Even the myth of pine needles acidifying soil has been debunked.

Many of my patches are in pine woods. You just adjust the lime as needed.

 

[SuperNutz]

The 70 foot pine forest I have covered in 100 years of pine needles is 7.2 PH, just sayin...

 

[ganga gurl420]

Well shit...then all the organic books I've read through the yrs of how to adjust ph in soil can be thrown out lmao.
I mean two of the biggest known ammendments to add to soil for acidity is pine needles and wood chips.... soooo....there goes all of that out the window.

 

[SuperNutz]

Pine needles themselves are acidic but they don't add acidity to soil...

 

[Deadhead13]

I use leaves, it retains moisture good.

 

[Obepawn]

P.s. wood tends to pull nitrogen from the soil and can add acidity to the ph. Over all it's not highly recommended by most growers.
You can also use more organic mulches like leaf mold, lawn clippings...oh wow the list goes on. But you def want something that can break down easily and then can be later worked into the soil when it decomposes.

Only if it’s mixed into the soil. Just sitting on the top layer as a mulch should be fine. There was an organic gardener on YouTube that broke this topic down and said it has no adverse affects on nitrogen when used as a mulch.

 

[TankHankerous]

Well that does it. Lowe's will be getting a visit from me tomorrow