Evening star., 1945-07-01

weed control.
Mulches tend to keep soil ten
sideration in this area where high
summer temperatures, which tend
to retard or check root functioning,
are common. This is especially inn
portant for those crops, such as
cabbage, squash and cucumbers,
which do not thrive in hot soils.
A good layer of straw or other
plant material that does not pack
down too tightly will let the rainfall
through to the soil in such way
that the water soaks in, thus the
mulch not only conserves the
moisture but actually aids more of
1t to get into the soil. At the same
time 1t helps to prevent the surface
soil from washing away.
Although many gardeners are con-
vinced of the value of mulch they
do not know what to use. Compost
that is only partially rotted makes
an excellent mulch, as does straw,
weeds and, In fact, any material
that will not mat down too tightly.
Pine needles. salt hay, even rotted
sawdust may be used to good adj
vantage. Peat moss, grass clippings
and manure tend to mat down, hold
ing too much moisture on the
surface of the soil and encouraging
weed growth. They do not dry out
quickly enough to prevent weed seed
sprouting. A good nulching ma
terial Is one that dries out quickly
enough to prevent weed seed from
terminating.
Some may consider oat or wheat
straw at a dollar bale rather ex-
pensive material for mulching the
garden but a bale will cover 8, 4
or even 500 square feet and at that
rate three bales should be sufficient
for the average community plot.
Surely So is small price to pay for
better growth, freedom from the
necessity of cultiyating the garden
for the rest of the season, and for
insurance against injury by drought.
If the price is too high, why not
rake up pine needles and carry them
to the plot, or better still, cut the
weeds and spread them over the
garden? OF course, you will cut the
weeds before the seeds form.
A 2 or inch layer of mulching
material will be SUFFICIENT in most
cases, depending somewhat upon the
material used. A 2-inch layer of
pine needles will be about as effec-
tive as 3-or-4-inch layer of straw
Mulches may be applied at any
time after the ground has warmed
up in late spring. If applied too
early the mulch viii keep the soil SO
cool as to delay the growth of warm
weather crops such as beans, pep
pers and eggplant. Local gardeners
do not attempt to apply mulching
materials until late in June or early
July. AT any rate put the mulch on
before going on that summer vaca-
ton, so as to avoid giving the weeds
a chance to take the garden while
you are away.
SultltheC SliC cOil tklOAO46lIAJ bC-
fore applying a mulch. Leave the
soil bit rough. If an additional
application of fertilizer is needed it
may be applied at the time of this
last cultivation.
The use of q fertilizer with a
mulch Is recommended practice
since the bacteria that work on and
cause the mulch material to decay
may rob the soil of nitrogen. This
Is especially true where sawdust is
used for mulching. BY applying
nitrogen where the bacteria can feed
upon it 1t will not be taken away
from the plants. In the use of saw
dust it is recommended that or 5
pounds of nitrate of soda or sulfate
of ammonia per 100 square feet for a
3-inch layer be added to feed the
bacteria. A smaller application may
be used where a thinner layer of
sawdust is used. For other mulches
use 4 or pounds of the 5-10-5
mixture per 100 square feet Of space.
If only portion of the garden is
to be mulched it is suggested that
tomatoes be given first priority,
If they are not to be
staked. The mulch will keep the
fruit clean and prevent the rotting
which usually takes place if the ripe
fruit lies on the ground. The same
is true of cucumbers and melons.
But why pick out one crop for
AS summer tempera-
lures reach into the nineties hoeing
will be most unwelcome job. If we
can avoid it by mulching. as well
as insure better crops, then we
should much our gardens. Even if
the better kinds of materials are
not available let's use what we have.
They will improve the gardens
growth and save cultivating. while
giving us more time to fight the
bugs and harvest the crops.