Mulching to Minimize Weeding in the Garden

In today's blog post, we're talking about mulching in the garden to minimize weeding (organic mulch is our preference), what kind of mulch to use (free options and paid), and how to properly install mulch so it creates the barrier you're looking for to minimize weed growth.

Weeding is perhaps one of my least favorite gardening activities. Caring for the plants I don't mind, because then I get to see how each plant is changing and growing over time and I know that it's staying alive because of my love.

But remarkably, weeding is an activity I might loathe.

So you can bet it's an activity in which I've researched and tested many ways one can minimize the need for getting down on hands and knees breaking your back for hours in the garden. Quite unnecessary, in my opinion.

Well, the lack of weeds is quite necessary. Weeds in the garden are an eyesore and make your other plants fight for nutrients. But the act of weeding - well, if one can find ways to avoid it entirely, that's a win in my book.

Unfortunately, I've found that weeding cannot be avoided entirely - especially when one wants to employ organic gardening methods as much as possible - but weeding can be minimized.

Enter: Mulching.

While there are other methods to prevent weeding, like those rolls of weed control fabric, it's not one of my favorite tasks in gardening for a few reasons;

1. It can be a nuisance to install. Extra work doesn't bother me when the result is worth it. But in this case, having this extra barrier in place created new problems:

2. It gets in the way. Any time you want to add fertilizer, you'll have to rip back the fabric, which decreases its effectiveness (and can be frustrating, in my opinion).

3. It doesn't 100% prevent weeds. They're persistent little buggers and they'll force their way through the fabric.

4. At the end of the season, after all the work to install it (and still having to rip out weeds), you'll just end up throwing it out. You don't really just want to leave it in place because your soil needs amendments to replenish nutrients (such as adding more fertilizer, mixing in compost, adding lime, etc).

5. If you use an impermeable fabric, like black plastic, how do you plan to get water to your plants? You could very well use a weeping hose (which we do use, love, and highly recommend), but it must be installed underneath the plastic, and then it would be difficult to inspect to make sure it's functioning properly. In addition, I refer back to reason number 2 stated above.

While weed control fabric might work for others, it's really not a favorite of mine.

Mulching, on the other hand, is a favorite.

One of the ways to slow weed growth is to prevent weeds from getting sunlight, so covering the ground is an effective way to block sunlight from getting to weeds.

Mulch provides insulation for the soil, so it keeps the ground warm.

Since mulch provides insulation, it also helps the soil maintain moisture for longer - which means you won't have to water as frequently.

What Type of Mulch to Use

While there are several different types of mulch to choose from, we love using organic mulch because it improves the soil as it decomposes, and we get to make use of something we already have on hand.

We've used grass clippings, leaves, and straw/hay as mulch and loved them all. It's makes yard cleanup so nice because now you're not trying to find a way to get rid of leaf piles by burning them or putting them out to the trash for pickup. You're using them in the garden to help plants grow, and then at the end of the season, mixing it all in with the soil to add more nutrients.

Dry Leaves

Of the three, leaves are my personal preference because we're surrounded by trees, and it doesn't take long for them to dry on their own. You want dry mulch - if you use fresh green leaves, the moisture in them can cause mold which could transfer to your plants. We are fortunate to be surrounded by trees and have plenty of leaves as mulch. And also, it's free. 🙂

Grass Clippings

If I'm short on leaves, grass clippings are my next preference. Grass clippings take a little extra work because you want them to dry out before placing them in the garden. So instead of immediately bagging them, I run the lawn mower over them and let them sit for a day, then run them over again so they flip over to continue to dry out, then run over one last time to bag (or rake them). It's worth the bit of extra work to me because grass clippings are excellent nitrogen-rich mulch. (Side note: plants can be deficient in nitrogen if you see them yellowing. Nitrogen helps bring that rich, green color to plants. Our plants seem to be often deficient in nitrogen, so anything that helps us add nitrogen to the soil is a bonus for us!)

Straw/Hay

Straw or hay is my last preference because it's not something I can produce on my own property, and I'd rather use what I've already got than to go out and purchase something if I don't have to. If you don't have dry leaves or grass clippings as an option but still want to use an organic mulch, straw or hay is a great option for you. A 50 lb small bale of straw can run around $3-$4 per bale. If you purchase a few, store them in a cool, dry place or cover it with a tarp if left outside. Do not leave it uncovered and exposed to outside elements or rain. If it gets wet, it'll mold on the inside and just as I mentioned above, that mold can transfer to your plants and cause diseases.

How to properly mulch

Apply a thick enough layer to discourage new weeds from coming up through your mulch.

A two to four inch layer discourages weeds. That doesn't sound like much until you're laying it down and realize how thick it is. Yes, apply two to four inches.

Keep mulch about one inch away from the base of plants. Wet mulch up against the base of plants can cause plants to rot.

Do not apply mulch right over directly sown seeds. This can prevent them from sprouting. We wait until a new seed has germinated and established itself before mulching. We find it difficult to mulch around plants like carrots because we plant carrots so close together (16 to a square foot), there really isn't adequate space to add mulch. But for plants like eggplant, peppers, and squash that get one plant per square, mulch is an essential tool for us.

We can't wait to hear how your new mulching (and minimal weeding) goes! Tell us in the comments below!