Maximizing Your Garden with
Straw Mulch
Thick straw mulch is a great way to keep weeds down in the vegetable garden and add organic matter for future years. University of Memphis Director of Landscape and avid gardener Joellen Dimond shares her insight on the benefits and techniques of utilizing straw mulch in your garden.
The Foundation: Spreading the Straw
Straw not only suppresses weed growth but also enriches the soil as it breaks down over time. Unlike hay, which tends to mat and decay, straw maintains fluffiness while still providing excellent soil coverage. Spread the straw to a thickness of at least six to eight inches, ensuring thorough coverage across your garden bed. The straw needs to be thick enough to prevent sprouting weeds from getting sunlight.
Planting Seedlings in Straw
Once the straw is in place, it's time to start planting. Joellen recommends ensuring plants are planted at the correct depth. By moving aside the straw to expose the soil, you can plant your vegetables directly into the earth beneath. After planting, carefully replace the straw around the base of each plant to maintain consistent coverage. The plant may look like it is drowning in the straw, but as long as it is not covered and still getting direct sunlight it will grow up and over the straw.
Planting Seeds
When it comes to planting seeds in straw mulch, a slightly different approach is needed. Create a hole in the straw, exposing the soil beneath. You can also create a trench in the straw to plant a line of seeds. Plant the seeds as normal in the straw-free areas you have opened up. Unlike transplanted seedlings, seeds should not be covered with straw immediately. Instead, wait until they begin to germinate before adding straw around them.
Managing Straw
Concerned about stray weed or wheat seeds in your straw mulch? Joellen assures that any seeds present in the straw are unlikely to cause significant issues. Straw you don’t use at planting can be used as needed throughout the growing season. If certain areas become thin or require additional coverage, simply add more straw to maintain optimal conditions for your plants.
Through the growing season, your garden will thrive, benefiting from reduced weed competition, enhanced soil quality, and cleaner, healthier vegetables.
Related Videos:
Kinds of Mulch
Newspaper Mulch
Related Resources:
Mulch - A Survey of Available Options
Gardening with Mulches
The Foundation: Spreading the Straw
Straw not only suppresses weed growth but also enriches the soil as it breaks down over time. Unlike hay, which tends to mat and decay, straw maintains fluffiness while still providing excellent soil coverage. Spread the straw to a thickness of at least six to eight inches, ensuring thorough coverage across your garden bed. The straw needs to be thick enough to prevent sprouting weeds from getting sunlight.
Planting Seedlings in Straw
Once the straw is in place, it's time to start planting. Joellen recommends ensuring plants are planted at the correct depth. By moving aside the straw to expose the soil, you can plant your vegetables directly into the earth beneath. After planting, carefully replace the straw around the base of each plant to maintain consistent coverage. The plant may look like it is drowning in the straw, but as long as it is not covered and still getting direct sunlight it will grow up and over the straw.
Planting Seeds
When it comes to planting seeds in straw mulch, a slightly different approach is needed. Create a hole in the straw, exposing the soil beneath. You can also create a trench in the straw to plant a line of seeds. Plant the seeds as normal in the straw-free areas you have opened up. Unlike transplanted seedlings, seeds should not be covered with straw immediately. Instead, wait until they begin to germinate before adding straw around them.
Managing Straw
Concerned about stray weed or wheat seeds in your straw mulch? Joellen assures that any seeds present in the straw are unlikely to cause significant issues. Straw you don’t use at planting can be used as needed throughout the growing season. If certain areas become thin or require additional coverage, simply add more straw to maintain optimal conditions for your plants.
Through the growing season, your garden will thrive, benefiting from reduced weed competition, enhanced soil quality, and cleaner, healthier vegetables.
Related Videos:
Kinds of Mulch
Newspaper Mulch
Related Resources:
Mulch - A Survey of Available Options
Gardening with Mulches