straw as mulch??

[patty_b]

I have used grass clippings and dried leaves as mulch for the tomato beds in the past, but thinking this year the straw will be easier to obtain. Will I be adding more weeds to the garden? Does the age of the straw make a difference? Thanks, Patty

[Noreaster]

Patty B.

My advice, after having done it 2-3 years......DON'T DO IT !

It looked nice, kept weeds out, protected leaves from dirt spit-ups during rain or watering. Got bales fresh from local farm.

BUT.....the straw seeds became straw in HUGE amounts growing in the beds. Had to stop. It was sorta like a weed of it's own.

Since then, I now use 6 mm black plastic laid over each bed, with holes cut out for tomato plant. Once in, place black mulch all around the stem.
And THAT keeps out the many weeds wanting entrance to the soil as well as preventing rain splashes hitting leaves.

I remove the mulch before tilling soil in following spring, and replace with new mulch once new seedlings are planted.

[sic transit gloria]

Originally Posted by Noreaster

Patty B.

My advice, after having done it 2-3 years......DON'T DO IT !

It looked nice, kept weeds out, protected leaves from dirt spit-ups during rain or watering. Got bales fresh from local farm.

BUT.....the straw seeds became straw in HUGE amounts growing in the beds. Had to stop. It was sorta like a weed of it's own.

Since then, I now use 6 mm black plastic laid over each bed, with holes cut out for tomato plant. Once in, place black mulch all around the stem.
And THAT keeps out the many weeds wanting entrance to the soil as well as preventing rain splashes hitting leaves.

I remove the mulch before tilling soil in following spring, and replace with new mulch once new seedlings are planted.

Where do you buy the 6mm black plastic? I've been to Home Depot and they have a water permeable plastic, but it tears up too easily. Are you able to re-use the plastic the next year (or longer)?

I don't use the 6mm black plastic on my beds, but I use it for other things. I buy it at Home Depot. I have used it in the past to smother weed and grass seed in a few beds through the winter. It warms the beds when sunlight hits it causing the seed to germinate. Because they can't get any sunlight through the plastic, the plants die. The excessive heat under the plastic seems to also have the effect of sterilizing the seed that hasn't germinated. I suppose it is also hard on the earth worms and other life forms under the plastic. I remove it and leave it off when I plant my garden.

I've also wrapped a bale of wheat straw in it. I moistened the bale before wrapping it. I just want to see the effect of high summer temps and moisture on the straw and wheat seed in the straw. I'm expecting the seed to be totally germinated or sterilized and the straw to be partially decomposed when I unwrap it this fall. I plan on using the straw as a type of compost in my beds along with my normal compost.

Ted

[Noreaster]

Originally Posted by sic transit gloria

Where do you buy the 6mm black plastic? I've been to Home Depot and they have a water permeable plastic, but it tears up too easily. Are you able to re-use the plastic the next year (or longer)?

I get it at Home Depot. They sell it like 20 wide x 200 as well as 20 x 100.
Prices are $ 98 and $ 56.

6 MM is VERY strong, and can last for years. I'm on year 2, and see it going at least 5years. Nothing rips it except your own tools !

[sic transit gloria]

Is the plastic sheeting in the garden center?

[kimpossible]

Hay has seeds & weed seeds. Straw doesn't. It's as benign as grass clippings. I have used straw for years with great results, and it breaks down & adds organic material to your soil over the winter.

It's also great for pathways and edges to smother any weeds or encroaching grass.

[recruiterg]

I use straw in my beds every year and have had very good results. The product I use doesn't re-seed though.

[FILMNET]

Salt March Hay is the best, if you can find it, no seeds lasts a few years

[b54red]

I'll have to agree with Noreaster. The seeds from straw are as big a pain as weeds sometimes and if you don't pull the new hay when it's young then it can be a major problem.

A good friend of mine buy his hay at least a year ahead of when he will use it and breads the twine holding the bales and just leaves it out in the weather until most of the seed have sprouted. This works pretty good but you need a space to have the bales sitting around for a year. The cost of hay around here has gotten very high which is another negative. On the plus side it is nice looking and the worms love it. It also does a decent job of keeping the soil moist if a thick enough layer is used.

I really liked grass clippings when my two neighbors provided me with their good clippings but now both are using mulching mowers and I have very little grass fit to use. Another really good thing about grass clippings if no herbicides were used on them, was they tilled in great adding organic matter to the soil.

I'm trying cypress mulch this year; but it is a little more expensive than hay and so far it is working really well.

I'm playing with straw bales like this! This is how they looked last fall when I placed them.



This is how they look now.



Since all the wheat seed germinated in the winter, they should make great mulch this fall or early next spring.

Ted

[Worth1]

Patty there is a big difference between straw and hay.
If you use wheat straw ran through a combine you are ok.
If you use good quality hay you are ok.
Good hay is hay that is cut before it goes to seed and hay that is not contaminated with weed seed such as Johnson grass, beggars lice, grass burrs, crab grass and such.
Many people sell hay here on the side of the road and it is contaminated with everything i mentioned above and more.
Sometimes that is all it is, is weeds sold for hay.
That is what you have to look out for.

If you chose to do so a product called preen can be used after the plants are sprouted this will help keep the weeds down.

Worth

[SmartAlex]

Straw is the stalk of a grain plant (oat, wheat etc) and shouldn't have any seeds in it. At.All. Unless it came from a VERY weedy field or actually grown as "oat hay" to feed livestock. You might get some oats or wheat from straw, but it will be pretty minimal.

I don't use straw mulch because I read slugs like to live in it and I have enough of them already thankyouverymuch.

I have used old hay (after I raked it off a lawn reseading as partially decomposed stalks) on my squash beds and had nearly zero weeds.

[organichris]

Ted, what's that growing in there with your maters?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by organichris

Ted, what's that growing in there with your maters?

Looks like Swiss chard.

Worth