Why Mulch Your Soil?

Soil is a living organism that can suffer when left bare. Under intense sun, UV rays are aggressive and water evaporation is at its maximum. Mulch acts as a protective barrier.

Here are the three main benefits:

• Water savings: By covering the soil, you reduce your watering needs by 50 to 70%. This protection is particularly useful during heatwaves.

• Weed Control: Mulch smothers weeds as they germinate and keeps weeds from getting to the light that they need to flourish.

• Soil health: As it decomposes, mulch turns into humus and enriches the soil deeply, while protecting the moisture needed for underground life.

Choosing Mulch Materials

The type of mulch to use depends mainly on what you have available:

• Straw: It's a classic—light and easy to handle. Be careful, however, to use cereal straw (ideally organic) and not hay, as the latter contains grass seeds that could introduce weeds into your garden.

• Dead leaves: It's a free and practical resource. They are useful for paths or long-term crops like tomatoes and peppers. Tip: run a lawnmower over them to shred them, which will make them easier to apply.

• RCW (Ramial Chipped Wood): This is a durable option for soil. Use it on the surface only, without incorporating it into the soil, to avoid the phenomenon of "nitrogen immobilization." RCW stimulates soil fungi and improves long term structure soil structyre.

The Technique: How to Apply Mulch

For a successful mulching, follow these steps:

1. Weed before applying: Mulching is a preventive measure. Remove existing weeds before laying down your protective layer.

2. Water before mulching: The soil needs to be wet before you start. The goal is to lock that moisture in under the mulch.

3. Get the thickness right: For straw, aim for 3 to 5 inches. If you are using dead leaves, a thinner layer can work, but keep in mind that they will compress more as they dry.

4. Protect your plants: Do not pile mulch directly against the plant stems. Leave a little space around the base to prevent rotting and allow the plant to breathe.

Feedback: The Tourne-Sol Farm Approach

Feedback from the Field: Tourne-Sol Farm's Approach

At the farm, mulching is fully integrated into our growing practices:

• For Garlic: Using organic straw helps protect the garlic from the winter cold, maintains moisture, and reduces manual weeding during the summer. In the spring, you just need to keep an eye out as the shoots emerge, since the mulch can sometimes slow them down a bit.

• For Asparagus: We prefer leaf mulch. After clearing the soil in the spring, harvesting goes until late June (St. Jean Baptiste Day). Afterward, we add an alfalfa fertilizer followed by a thick layer of leaves to keep weeds at bay for the rest of the season.

A Few Precautions

If the summer is particularly rainy, mulch can encourage the presence of slugs. Finally, a practical tip: wait until the soil is well-warmed by the sun before mulching heat-loving crops, like peppers and eggplants.

In summary, mulching is a technique that saves time and water. Choose the right material, prepare your soil, and observe your plants' growth.

Happy gardening! 

🪏 Frédéric