Gardens of whatever size
always deal with the issues of water and weeds.
It can be expensive to water the garden, and for those busy gardeners
who do not have the time to water on a regular basis, the crops can
suffer. And, of course, weeds are never
the gardener’s friend, but they always seem to find their way into the best
laid garden plans.
There is a technique that I
have used for years to deal with water and weed issues. It has the added
benefit of building up the soil over time.
I use small bales of wheat or barley straw to mulch around the plants
once they get 3-4 inches tall. The
bales typically cost less than $10, and one of them will usually cover at least
400 square feet.
What I do is add a
loose layer of straw around the plants, and between the rows, about 4 inches in
depth. This has let me reduce my
watering cost, and time for watering, by about one third, each week. The straw shades the ground, and it reduces
evaporative loss from bare soil.
To check soil moisture so
that I do not over or under water my plants, I use a screw driver, and if it
can be pushed into the ground easily to about 6 inches, then the soil is in
good shape for moisture; if not, give the plants a good soak.
The straw also helps to
suppress weed growth. Weeds, just like desirable plants, need sunlight for the
seed to germinate, and for the plants to grow.
The straw shades the ground, and I have found that it will reduce weed
growth by at least one half. The key is to put the straw out early before weeds
get started.
The added benefit of the
straw is that, unlike wood mulch chips, it degrades easily, and can be plowed
into the garden in the fall to add organic matter for the following crops.
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