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Post by daylilydude on Apr 29, 2015 10:04:11 GMT -5
I have hay left over from the holiday yard decorations so ima use it in the garden, how thick does it need to be to keep the weeds at bay, but still break down enough to be tilled in later, and would the thickness of straw be the same?
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Post by coppice on Apr 29, 2015 11:09:59 GMT -5
Stuff with seed heads in it, like hay, might be less productive of volunteer seedlings, if there is a light barrier of cardboard under the hay...
However thick you lay on the mulch.
Ruth Stout in her book; "No-Work Garden Book" © 1971, liked her mulch pretty thick, like a foot deep or more. Thats all the citation I have close to hand.
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Post by paulf on Apr 29, 2015 17:29:42 GMT -5
In our area, straw is generally weed free and hay is full of weed seeds. I use straw as mulch and pile it on thick; 8 to 10 inches.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 30, 2015 8:44:38 GMT -5
Grassy weeds give me fits, so I wouldn't use hay in the garden. Hot compost it, maybe.
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Post by daylilydude on May 2, 2015 7:22:50 GMT -5
So basically, coppice, paulf, Laura_in_FL, now that I have used the hay to control weeds, all I have done is just made different weeds??
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Post by coppice on May 2, 2015 11:13:28 GMT -5
Hay is only a part of the equation.
Hay has seeds. I use hay and or grass clippings all the time. *If* your crop becomes the next light barrier. Hay won't be able to make many volunteers.
For example carrot still laid on thickly will hog enough sun to not let in too many grasses. One paltry row will create little shade and could loose the weed-wars.
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