Permaculture Garden Mulches

Bob,

I have almost all the mulches I'm planning on using on the garden.  It's a significant effort to gather carbon sources. I think the goal is to identify as many free or reduced costs sources, as possible.  This includes the city recycling centers, neighbors, and Craigslist.

Hay

You can't throw a rock in Clever, MO, and not hit a hay field.  The airport in Springfield is surrounded by them.  My neighbor Mike works cows and he very generously gave me this bale of hay.

When they bale hale, they can roll it into large round bales, often wrapping them in plastic and placing them end on end like a giant sausage rope at the edge of the field.  This bale came from the end, which is more exposed to the elements.  That not so good for the cows, but it's great for me.  It was so big, I could budge it.  I owe Mike a bunch of tomatoes next summer.

Cow Manure

I'll also add cow manure near the bottom.  Manure adds nitrogen. It also aids in the composting at the bottom of the layers where weed seed in the manure can't germinate.  I just have to be sure it's composted well and not too hot for plant roots.

There's a farm about 300 yards from my house.  We often walk the dog over there to watch the cows.  The owner generously gave me permission to pick up composted manure from his farm, free for the taking.  I owe him tomatoes, too.  I'll add a picture as soon as I pick it up.

Compost

I also plan to add compost.  This, I had to buy and pay to be delivered.  I need a truck or a small trailer very badly.  Still, this is excellent compost.  Not all compost is good compost, or actually compost at all.

I'll add a post about it soon.

Wood Chips

I'll add wood chips as the top layer of my mulches.  Here again, I had to pay to get it delivered, however, the cost was much less than normal.  I found an excellent deal on Craigslist from a guy who runs a tree business. He sells all his wood chips at a reduced price.

The chips are not uniform in size, shape or type, but I don't care about that.  They will smother out weeds and compost down like any other carbon source.

No Newspaper or Cardboard

I chose not to add cardboard or newspaper at the bottom.  Some of my research seemed to point to it taking a long time to break down, possibly wicking away moisture at the sides if exposed, and creating a barrier to moisture and roots getting down into the ground.  If I see grass or weeds poking up through the mulch, I'll pull it out and add more mulch, eventually smothering out the weeds.  Thick mulch is the key, I think.

Layers

Here's how I decided to layer the garden:

1. Mow the grass at the lowest mower setting, scalping the grass and leaving the grass clippings.
2. Mow over a cubic yard of yard waste, adding another carbon layer. (This yard waste came from the house behind mine.  The nice folks working there tossed their yard waste right over the fence at my request.)
3. Add hay as the first thick layer of mulch.
4. Add cow manure as the second layer, introducing nitrogen to help break down the mulch.
5. Add compost as the third layer.  (This layer is the layer in which I can plant.)
6. Top it off with eight inches or so of wood chips, sealing in the moisture and reducing weeds.

Here is a picture of the work so far. I scalped the grass and added a thick layer of hay.

Assuming four-foot wide beds with two-foot pathways, I think I can get four 4'x15' beds out of this section.  The entire area will be covered by hay and wood chips, but only the four-foot wide planting areas will get compost and manure.  There's no need to waste that in areas that will only receive foot traffic.

This is by far the largest garden I've ever had and perhaps about a tenth of the space I intend eventually to cultivate, not counting fruiting shrubs and trees.

Beware!  When you view my yard next summer in it's awesome splendiferousness and magnitudality, you shall weep tears of joy...or perhaps shame and envy.

Your brother,
Bill.