Planting with Organic Mulches: A Step-by-Step Guide
Organic mulches offer a range of benefits, from conserving moisture to controlling weeds. Organic mulches can include shredded wood mulch, pine needles, or even cardboard. In most cases it is easier to put the mulches down before planting instead of trying to spread the mulch around tender young plants.
Planting Seedlings
When planting with pine needles, shredded wood, or other mulches that have smaller pieces, move the mulch aside before digging the holes for your plants. Once the plant is in the ground, push the mulch back around the seedling. As the plant grows above the mulch, you can push more mulch against the base.
With cardboard mulch, the process is slightly more involved. When using cardboard, cut a small hole with a knife and plant the seedling through the hole in the soil. The smaller the hole the fewer weeds will be able to grow.
Planting seeds
To plant seeds in pine needles or shredded wood mulch, create a long thin trench in the mulch and then plant the seeds normally in the exposed soil. You will need to leave the soil exposed until the seeds germinate and you can push the mulch up around the young plants.
For cardboard, cut a long thin hole and plant in the exposed soil. There may be some weeds that sprout in the hole, but it will be much less than if the entire soil surface was exposed.
Mulch Benefits
Mulch has many benefits including keeping the soil moist and reducing weeds. Pine needles also will keep slugs and snails away. The rough surface of the needles cuts their bodies. Mulches will also reduce dirt splashing onto the lower leaves of the plants, reducing disease problems.
Related Videos:
Using Plastic and Woven Landscape Fabric Mulch in the Garden
Planting Through Sheet Mulch
Organic Mulching Options
Why to Use (and Love) Mulch!
Newspaper Mulch
Kinds of Mulch
Related Resources:
Types and Uses of Mulch in the Landscape
Mulching Your Trees and Landscapes
Mulch - A Survey of Available Options
Gardening with Mulches
Planting Seedlings
When planting with pine needles, shredded wood, or other mulches that have smaller pieces, move the mulch aside before digging the holes for your plants. Once the plant is in the ground, push the mulch back around the seedling. As the plant grows above the mulch, you can push more mulch against the base.
With cardboard mulch, the process is slightly more involved. When using cardboard, cut a small hole with a knife and plant the seedling through the hole in the soil. The smaller the hole the fewer weeds will be able to grow.
Planting seeds
To plant seeds in pine needles or shredded wood mulch, create a long thin trench in the mulch and then plant the seeds normally in the exposed soil. You will need to leave the soil exposed until the seeds germinate and you can push the mulch up around the young plants.
For cardboard, cut a long thin hole and plant in the exposed soil. There may be some weeds that sprout in the hole, but it will be much less than if the entire soil surface was exposed.
Mulch Benefits
Mulch has many benefits including keeping the soil moist and reducing weeds. Pine needles also will keep slugs and snails away. The rough surface of the needles cuts their bodies. Mulches will also reduce dirt splashing onto the lower leaves of the plants, reducing disease problems.
Related Videos:
Using Plastic and Woven Landscape Fabric Mulch in the Garden
Planting Through Sheet Mulch
Organic Mulching Options
Why to Use (and Love) Mulch!
Newspaper Mulch
Kinds of Mulch
Related Resources:
Types and Uses of Mulch in the Landscape
Mulching Your Trees and Landscapes
Mulch - A Survey of Available Options
Gardening with Mulches