When referring to “mulch” it might as well be called fertilizer for that is what it does. But that’s not all. It also protects and retains moisture. Applying mulch is the reason we don’t need to add commercial fertilizer. Mulch becomes compost over time as it feeds worms and microbes and most importantly, does all this while simultaneously retaining moisture in the ground. Commercial man-made fertilizers don’t do that, they also don’t feed soil microbes, they bypass these systems starving them out which is bad news for healthy soil. There are a million reasons not to use commercial fertilizers but the health of your soil is PRIORITY #1. We need microbes to give plants ALL the minerals and micronutrients they need. Want to add natures most natural minerals to the soil? Try Sea Salt.
Mulch, this protective layer of earths skin is found everywhere in nature. It can be any organic matter made from plant cells (wood, Leaves, bark, grass, fruit etc.). Inorganic dirt can not do the job of mulch. Dirt is about as effective at fighting infection and retaining moisture without as your muscle would be without skin. Bare dirt quickly turns into hard dead soil full of disease microbes and prone to erosion. Simply cover the ground and healing begins. Trees, grass, and forests build their soils thorough a symbiotic relationship with microbes and fungus. Remember, plants can’t travel they must attract what they need and they have very effective ways of acquiring their needs.
When using mulch think holistically. A thick pile of leaves can become gooey unless mixed with other forms of mulch. Leaves piled too thick is not natural. The soil in Forests and grass planes develops soil very slowly. nevertheless, they do replenish carbon stores faster than they need to use them. Forests drop leaves and needles as well as branches, fruits and whole fallen trees as they fall that provides housing for insects and small mammal critters. Microbes condition the soil beneath and renewed layers of dead plant material cover and protect soils above.
The gardeners job is to effectively mimic 100 years of soil regeneration within just a few months by applying lots of good mulch in the correct ratio. It is all very simple but even if you make a mistake, in time nature will compensate. Patience wins the day here. No matter what organic material you mulch with it will work.
Tilling is largely unnatural. except for the role of pigs, no valid argument exists for this blanket application to an entire field. Plowing releases nutrients yes but it is a major unsustainable drain on the bank account of soils health. Nowhere in nature do we see tilling or plowing occur naturally accept with rooting pigs but again, they do not decimate entire fields. To understand a pigs vital role, we need to take a holistic look at the nature of their free-range behavior. When you try to force a technique contrary to nature, you will never obtain the best results. When trying a new technique, thinking holistically is always best policy. If you can’t see the holistic wisdom, let faith prevail and be patient, nature will teach you.
-Prepare your garden
Step one is to begin feeding soil by putting down several inches of mulch each year if you have the resources. With the long term goal in mind I started my grow beds 4 feet deep with wood chip mulch. I didn’t grow anything the first year but after a few years I had the BEST soil. With enough lead time, any mulch will make great soil. Never till mulch into soil or it will compost too quickly binding up the nitrogen!! You don’t want to plant seeds directly in new mulch either. After putting down a layer of mulch you can plant right away by moving the mulch away exposing a small spot of existing soil underneath. In subsequent years the soil and mulch become a gradient of one in the same.
When planting, roots need to begin in existing soil. Simply move mulch aside to expose a thin line of soil then plant seeds. Do not cover seeds back with the mulch.
Lazy man mulch pile. Technically, you don’t need to do any more than dump piles of good mulch and start growing in them. the edges will taper into the grass and the grass will only be able to grow through the shallow portion of mulch around the edges. you can transplant into the ground around the edge of the mulch pile and continue to pull down mulch around the base as it grows. Just watch how stuff grows so nice around a cow chip and you will see this type of mulch pile in action.
Depending on your vision though, you might invest a significant amount of work creating grow boxes, pathways, trellises, fences and such for a much envied garden . Don’t confuse aesthetics with effectiveness.
As mulch breaks down, soil comes to life and minerals are recycled within the ecosystem of the micro biome. If minerals are missing, the mother source is inorganic matter (aka dirt) which bacteria and fungus dissolve rather efficiently from which the entire spectrum of necessary minerals can be sourced. Microorganisms trade nutrients in exchange for food from plant roots. If roots grow directly in well cultured soil under a bed of well composting mulch, you will grow mammoth vegetables in conditions that will improve each year… If it remains properly cultivated. Placing hay or leaves on top of mulch fertilizes the ground, retains moisture and allows the microorganisms build the soil structures ideal for their habitat. Don’t be the one to destroy all their hard work!
Raised grow beds.