Any good alternatives to barley straw for mulch?

Specifically asking what are some alternatives for mulch in my 4x8 no till geo planter? Hard to find many things here in Canada this time of year believe it or not

I don't think it is too important what you use, as long as the soil in your pot/bed is not exposed.

Outdoors it gets even easier. Here I used some partially composted grass that I knocked off the paving with the weedeater.
In the beginning, it was just mulch, then some grass seeds germinated, the surface of the pot is always nice and cool, the grass uses the sun to grow and cast more shadow without heating the pot up.

Thai_Lights said:

Specifically asking what are some alternatives for mulch in my 4x8 no till geo planter? Hard to find many things here in Canada this time of year believe it or not

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Pretty much anything. You're just looking to cover the surface of the pot. I would just try and use something that will slowly decompose overtime rather than using rocks or the such.

Will a cover crop work as the same?

Same Same But Different. Some people don’t like living mulch others do. The only time it can become a problem is when you have some pests like aphids or spider mites. Now instead of having to only take care of one plant you have to check all the cover crops to make sure they don’t come back.