tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post6391367247661735695..comments2023-10-22T09:24:14.464-04:00Comments on The Slow Cook: Mulching GarlicEd Bruskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12217850970833353800noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-60415236302868788612011-05-02T20:13:22.929-04:002011-05-02T20:13:22.929-04:00I just mulched with wood mulch. After reading your...I just mulched with wood mulch. After reading your comments I 'm wondering if I should remove it tomorrow. What do you all think?<br />Christinechristinehttp://hotmailnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-29727595536785328742009-03-10T20:48:00.000-04:002009-03-10T20:48:00.000-04:00We grow about 200 heads a year in a raised bed. Th...We grow about 200 heads a year in a raised bed. This year we didn't have to buy any at all. In our fifth year we are learning.....<BR/><BR/>We mulched our garlic bed with a few inches of pine needles this year and the green leaves are peeking out a few inches through the crazy spring-09 weather.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-36758957352505815412009-03-10T19:54:00.000-04:002009-03-10T19:54:00.000-04:00This is my first time planting garlic (I'm a fairl...This is my first time planting garlic (I'm a fairly new gardener, so it is not hard for something to be the "first time.").<BR/><BR/>I mulched one bed with leaves in the fall, and so far no weeds have managed to get into that bed. As an experiment I have another bed of garlic without any mulch. I want to see the difference in terms of the garlic at harvest. That bed doesn't have many weeds either, yet. <BR/><BR/>I also amended the soil with some blood meal about a month ago, which was recommended by my favorite nursery. <BR/><BR/>Any garlic tips and opinions most welcome!Flower gyrlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09001394794986782988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-38578406962046044302009-03-10T13:16:00.000-04:002009-03-10T13:16:00.000-04:00Laura, I think shredding the straw is the answer. ...Laura, I think shredding the straw is the answer. It's much denser, but not so dense that water doesn't run right through it. I wonder if it's safe to assume that the garlic leaves would be able to penetrate....<BR/><BR/>De, no problem with the leaves matting? You are lucky to have that equipment. And the trees. And the grass clippings. If you ever have more grass clippings than you can use, let me know. I will compost them.<BR/><BR/>Charlotte, are you sure you got straw and not hay? Straw is just the stalks from grain, such as wheat or barley. Hay is the greener field cuttings with seed heads and usually a variety of plants. I've never seen seeds in our straw.Ed Bruskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12217850970833353800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-20818071920334315452009-03-10T12:59:00.000-04:002009-03-10T12:59:00.000-04:00I mulched heavily with straw last year in my raise...I mulched heavily with straw last year in my raised beds and now I'm having to turn them all over and dig out the vigorous crop of wheat (must be winter wheat from the way it's survived). It did keep all the other weeds down though. I was talking to a gardener friend in town and she said it was just a seedy batch of straw we all got last summer -- in years past she hasn't had this problem at all, so I'll try again this year, but wow. I really wound up with a cover crop I hadn't planned on.Charlottehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04374793729822487986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-22418672547730457432009-03-10T12:56:00.000-04:002009-03-10T12:56:00.000-04:00During the winter I heavily mulch with shredded le...During the winter I heavily mulch with shredded leaves to smother anything that might even think about coming up. I usually cover the shredded leaves with some wood chips from downed branches and yard litter (we were gifted with a used chipper/shredder a few years ago, so making my own mulch with debris is easy).<BR/>During the summer I mulch with grass clipping from the lawn.Delorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17998695094102234995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603202988847584283.post-8375225185510174632009-03-10T11:32:00.000-04:002009-03-10T11:32:00.000-04:00like you I mulch with straw, but noticed the same ...like you I mulch with straw, but noticed the same issue recently - there's a lot of volunteer grass in with my garlic, so much that I'll likely need to pull the straw off soon, pull the grass and put the straw back. Perhaps I'll pulverize it first! Great idea!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com