Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Discussion forum for environmentally-friendly alternatives to replace synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old May 12, 2015   #1
TightenUp
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Jersey
Posts: 1,183
Default hay or straw mulch

For those that use hay and straw mulch - Are you typically using straight from a bale or shredding/cutting?
__________________

TightenUp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #2
BigVanVader
Tomatovillian™
 
BigVanVader's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
Default

I use it from aged bales and spread it by hand about 6-8 inches deep. Straw is best but if all you have is hay it works great but sometimes has bad weed seeds in it. I normally cover hay with leaves or something to prevent germination.
BigVanVader is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #3
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Straw is the best due to no or little weed seeds.
If you use hay make sure it isn't garbage hay with stuff like grass bur seeds in it.
What ever it is it will have seeds and next year you will have to mulch again to keep the stuff from growing from the year before.
Not really a big deal but be forewarned.

Worth
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #4
TightenUp
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Jersey
Posts: 1,183
Default

I have straw which is herbicide free. More concerned with application than hay vs straw preference
__________________

TightenUp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #5
PaulF
Tomatovillian™
 
PaulF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Brownville, Ne
Posts: 3,294
Default

Straw mulch here applied 6-8 inches deep by breaking open the bale and spreading by hand shaking apart the "books" (I think that is what the layers are called) as I go.
__________________
there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.
PaulF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #6
TightenUp
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Jersey
Posts: 1,183
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulF View Post
Straw mulch here applied 6-8 inches deep by breaking open the bale and spreading by hand shaking apart the "books" (I think that is what the layers are called) as I go.
Word!
__________________

TightenUp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #7
clkeiper
Tomatovillian™
 
clkeiper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
Default

Use straw if at all possible. Hay grows mold when wet. The biggest problem with straw for our area is the canada thistle seeds. They are "ready" at the same time wheat is ready to harvest. GRRR!

Paul, we call the hay in the sections "flakes" and I assume that most people use the term "flakes" for straw, also.
__________________
carolyn k

Last edited by clkeiper; May 12, 2015 at 09:31 PM.
clkeiper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #8
Redbaron
Tomatovillian™
 
Redbaron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
Default

I just unroll a round bale.
__________________
Scott

AKA The Redbaron

"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system."
Bill Mollison
co-founder of permaculture
Redbaron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #9
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by clkeiper View Post
Use straw if at all possible. Hay grows mold when wet. The biggest problem with straw for our area is the canada thistle seeds. They are "ready" at the same time wheat is ready to harvest. GRRR!

Paul, we call the hay in the sections "flakes" and I assume that most people use the term "flakes" for straw, also.
I call them servings because I would ride in the trailer and give each cow her serving, well maybe 4 servings as we moved along.
We kept a big rodeo bull on the place during the off season and he got a hole bail.
His name was Ghost and a big sweet pet.
Our cows were pampered.

As for mulch I use (free) ceder elm leaves now.

Worth
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #10
pauldavid
Tomatovillian™
 
pauldavid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NE Louisiana, Zone 8A
Posts: 1,179
Default

I use pine straw for mulch with good results.
pauldavid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 12, 2015   #11
pauldavid
Tomatovillian™
 
pauldavid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NE Louisiana, Zone 8A
Posts: 1,179
Default

Sorry- double post
pauldavid is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:41 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★