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Show By I I - K V A. TINDALL Mulching Utah garden soils may very well be one of the most valuable cultural practices of gardening. Originally all mulches were organic materials such as straw or composted material. These organic materials can provide many beneficial effects. These include: the control of annual weeds and grasses, the elimination of cultivation and the resulting damage to plant roots; the reduction of moisture through evaporation; water retention, decreased runoff and erosion and the regulation of temperature. Other benefits of mulching include cleaner, more easily harvested crops, the reduction of fruit rot, and easier movement through advantaRcs in increasing crop ylvlil-. and In controlling weeds, but their virtues in no way deny the value of a natural organic mulch. A natural mulch is frequently applied soon after the emergence of the crop seedlings or following transplanting. A delay in application of an organic mulch may be desirable if the soil temperature has not warmed sufficiently during the spring season. The soil temperature under the organic mulch will be reduced. Mulching depth will vary with material selected. A primary objective of the mulch is to prevent or greatly reduce the germination ger-mination and growth of annual weeds and grasses. Therefore, the amount used may nixinV live bushcln ol &a-wo.vV u u v . n .V plot, or about 50 lbs. ot dry material. Before application, mix one pound of actual nitrogen fertilizer to five bushels of sawdust. The fertilizer will decrease the time for decomposition. If no nitrogen was added the bacteria would utilize some of the nitrogen in the soil and the garden plants would suffer. Using organic materials as mulches may cause an increase in pests and an environment en-vironment for diseases to over winter. Necessary precautions and treatments to reduce these problems may be needed. The use of plastics as mulches is becoming more popular. This is especially true in areas like Utah where the soil Mmpcraiur Vri .Vs - Kprin protUiiv early transplanting,. V clear plaKlAc Vt ctotie contact with a smooth soil surface mav increase the sort temperature by 10 degrees of more. This in turn will promote early maturity and increased yields of many plants. The clear plastic will not eliminate weeds from growing under the plastic and necessary steps (pre-emergence herbicides around transplants) to control the weeds should be taken. Black plastics will not increase the soil temperatures as much as clear plastics because the sun's radiation is reflected back into the atmosphere. Weed control under black plastics is very effective Continued on page 11 the garden during very wet periods. Surface mulches will provide conditions for plant roots to develop throughout the surface inches of the soil to absorb water, nutrients and oxygen. Luxuriant stem, leaf, flower and fruit growth follows the development of vigorous, extensive root growth. Many materials are available for mulching. The selection of a particular material depends upon the cost, availability, the season of the year and also the crop to be planted. Until recently the types of mulches were all natural. In the past few years, university researchers, commercial farmers and home gardeners have experimented with black and clear plastics as mulches, and have achieved good results. Natural and synthetic mulches have both advantages and drawbacks. It becomes the individual gardeners decision which material would fit his own specific needs. The plastic mulches may have great vary from one to two inches for sawdust, peat moss, cotton seed hulls and ground corncobs and up to four to eight inches for course or fluffy material like straw, hay, corn stalks or other simUar material. Apply mulch evenly around transplants. If the mulch becomes saturated or wet, avoid any packing around the stem or trunk of the plants. This is to insure free air circulation at the base of the transplants. This will decrease the chance for disease. The mulch should be maintained at its original thickness. As the volume decreases, new material should be added. The mulch will gradually decompose and improve the soils tilth. As an organic mulch is continually used, a marked improvement im-provement in your garden soil will be seen. The ease and enjoyment of working in your garden will be evident. Where sawdust is available, it is commonly com-monly used as a mulch. The material is recommended to be partially decomposed and applied at 1 to V,2 inches deep. This is Mulching Cont. from page 9 because of light reduction. Many gardeners that use black or clear plastics also utilize organic mulches. When the necessary soil temperature has been met. organic material is spread over the plastic. The mulch will decrease the weeds under the clear plastic and also lessen the tremendous tremen-dous amounts of heat generated by the black plastics. In our area we would generally recommend the use of a clear plastic. The major advantage to plastics is to increase soil temperature. Weeds should be effectively controlled as temperatures reach 90 degrees. 1 Planting in plastics is easily accomplished ac-complished after the plastic has been set out. A sharpened bulb planter will provide a clean hole with a twisting motion. Continue Con-tinue through the plastic into the soil. This will decrease any unnecessary tearing of the plastic. Seeds may be planted by puncturing the plastic with a sharpened pole and making holes into the soil. Watering is done by making two trenches on either side of the plastic. The water will spread from the trenches to the plants by seepage. Make sure that the outer edges of the plastic are secured by placing soil along both outside edges. |