Where we live, the soil around here is mainly clay. Not the best soil to grow things in, as it turns into a brick in the heat of the summer. If the summer is particularly dry, the clay soil cracks. Picturesque, but not great for the plants.
Over the last 4(maybe 5) years, we have been mulching between our garden rows. This adds nutrients to the soil as it breaks down, makes pathways that we can walk on to get to our plants even if it's just rained heavily, helps keep the weeds down, and over time has made our garden less clay-like and more gardening friendly.
Our mulch of choice has often been grass clippings from mowing our acreage. It's work, but I'd rather be mulching than weeding, any day!
Our second choice, and what I used today, is old straw. This year, we are using what was donated to us from the church's Live Nativity last December. They didn't need it and were looking for someone to take it, so they brought it on over last winter. Win!
I do not recommend hay. Hay will have a lot of seed in it, and you don't want to be introducing that to your garden.
Here's the straw I had to work with:
Here's the garden, with complete Row-to-Row Carpeting:
I think I ended up using 12 bales of straw. I need to water later tonite...those boards I think I will leave there so as to help the sprinkler head to sit level when I am watering.
Quite a change from 2 months ago, eh?
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