Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-05-29

piece OF rooflng paper, perhaps
the black plastic, beneath them
to keep weeds from encroach-
ing. These two do not need
nitrogen, will not crust, and
need be applied only an inch
or two in depth to be effective.
| Peanut hullS, buckwheat
hullS and cocoa bean hullS are
available at most garden sup
ply stores. They are light, will
not crust and when decom-
posed add humuS to the soil.
Care should be taken in apply
ing since they are light and
should be wet down with the
hose before a wind blows them
over into the next yard. A
pinch layer is likely to be
needed to control grass and
weeds in the border. The pea
nut hulls may require some
additional nitrogen.
Pine Needles, Perlite
Pine needles, which were in
troduced to Washington gar
deners By the Potomac Chrys-
anthemum Society some years
ago, are now a favorite mulch
ing material of the camellia
grower. They let air and mois-
ture through to the shallow
rooted camellia-a plant that
must have air to its roots to
thrive.
A 3 or 4 inch mulch of pine
needles is ideal, but most gar
deners are satisfied with 2 or
3 inches since at that depth
the soil does not crust, al
though there will be a few
weeds popping through it.
Perlite is offered as a mulch
material as well as soil improv-
er and in spite of it's color
white-does give the desired
protection from crusting. A
two or three inch layer will
keep down weeds, allow air and
moisture to penetrate to the
roots, and is sterile. When It's
duty as a mulch is completed it
can be mixed into the soil,
making it more crumbly and
easier to work.
Corn CObS, Sawdust
Some stores are Offering
ground corn cobs, an excellent
mulch although some complain
that they are too finely ground.
CoarSer material is not as apt
to crust. lasts longer, and is
just as effective in controlling
weeds.
To these we should add the
Sawdust, planer chips, and
compost that have been widely
used for many years. The saw
dust and planer chips have the
higher nitrogen requirement,
the peatmoSs is likely to crust
during the heat of the sum-
mer. Then we might mention
the use of gravel, bluestone
and similar materials suitable
for patio beds, rock gardens
and other places where drain
age, sweet soils. or special cir
cumstances make them highly
useful. The bluestone is espe-
cially useful in rock gardens
where many of the plants are
lime-lovers.
Hay and Straw
Chopped hay and straw
oftentimes may be obtained
from farmers equipped to run
these materials through an en-
silage cutter. However, they
are best used as summer
mulches because they hold
moisture and tend to pack
down-a disadvantage for win
ter use.
MulcheS should be a must
for Washington gardeners
where heavy rains tend to
crust the soils, where weeds and
grass are a season long prob
lem, and to conserve moisture.
Many of our plants, roses for
example, need cool soil if they
are to produce during the heat
Of the summer. Mulches not
only provide these services for
the gardener, but they also, in
decaying, provide the best
source of humuS for the soil.
A surface application, strange
as it may seem, maintains a
higher level of humuS in the
soil than the same amount of
material incorporated into the
soil. l