Comments on: To mulch, or not to mulch, that is the question when it comes to naturalizing.

By: Monique

Monique — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 23:04:29 +0000

Here I was just searching the term microrhyza because of a watershed nutrient management plan I am working on and I became fascinated by your blog. I almost want to quit my planner job and come and hoe for you. Thanks for the little history on mulch. My world of reducing runoff is so focused on practices to retain water that this thought of no mulch never even crossed my mind. I love hoeing my soil rather than covering it up and now I feel I am doing the right thing. Lovely. I'll be back.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000

I’m new to gardening, but very interested in the topic. Why do you have to shred the leaves? Is it primarily for looks, or because they don’t really decompose in one season?

By: Brian David Morley

Brian David Morley — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:56:00 +0000

Matt, I couldn’t agree more about mulch…100% My father Jack would be 93 if he were still with us (9/11), and we grew up with the same set of frugal,logical values as your family.
The volunteer seedlings are the best reward for a more natural mulch of gravel or shredded native leaves!

By: Natalie

Natalie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:34:00 +0000

Interesting article. I’ve actually felt guilty for not mulching my flower beds, but I haven’t had to replant snapdragons or Cleoma for years because they keep reseeding. I decided to splurge on some cocoa mulch (from the cocoa shells), partly because it smells like chocolate when the sun warms it up. Hopefully it won’t completely stop my reseeding plants.