You’ve been mulching all during gardening season, both to preserve moisture and inhibit weeds. But fall is the time to start collecting as much garden mulch as you can. Winter is just around the corner and your trees and shrubs will appreciate a good mulching to protect them from freezing. This is especially important where winter temperatures can be harsh (I’m thinking of you, Bozeman, Montana). It’s also important not to pile mulch too high — a practice known as over mulching — around your trees and shrubs.
Mulch is also useful in getting an early start on spring vegetables. Seeds sown under a heavy layer of mulch will, even if sprouted, survive the winter with a little luck. When the mulch is pulled away in the spring — even if there is still the threat of frost — frost-tolerant plants will jump at the chance to get a little sunshine. Garlic and onions are traditionally planted in the fall and overwinter under a warm blanket of mulch. Surprisingly, I’ve had success with fall planting and mulching during some pretty cold winters (did I mention Bozeman, Montana?). This is one place — your vegetable garden — where you can’t mulch too much. Just be sure to pull the mulch back when the spring weather makes an appearance. You want to give wet soils a chance to lose some of that abundant moisture.
Where are you going to find all the mulch you need? Luckily, nature has the answer. Those fall leaves, especially after they’re shredded, make great mulch. Other sources include straw (do your best to make sure it’s weed free; not always an easy task), grass clippings (but not if you’ve sprayed them with herbicide!), pine needles (may add to the acid content of your soil) and wood chips. Combinations are good. Non-organic sources of mulch — paper, gravel and the like — don’t make for good overwintering mulches. You can find a good discussion about various types of mulch here. Now get out there and mulch! Much!
Eric Vinje founded Planet Natural with his father Wayne in 1991, originally running it as a grasshopper bait mail-order business out of a garage.
Eric is now retired, but is still a renowned gardener known for his expertise in composting, organic gardening and pest control, utilizing pesticide-free options, such as beneficial insects.
Eric believes when you do something good for the environment, the effects will benefit generations to come.
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