What can I grow for Mulch

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by ave a go, Nov 7, 2008.

  1. ave a go

    ave a go Junior Member

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    Hi All,

    Thought I would be able to find something on here, but no luck and the word mulch is to common for the search tool.

    Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions/ideas on what I could grow as a mulch?

    Appreciate your thoughts.
     
  2. dylanz

    dylanz Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    Good question... my first thoughts would be something prolific, won't reseed like crazy, not an allelopath, easy to harvest :)
     
  3. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    Do you mean a living mulch or one that you can cut for mulch later?
     
  4. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    A sterile vetiver grass, comfrey, arrowroot...

    Pigeon pea can also be useful - if your situation lends itslelf to chop and drop or you have a mulcher. In your climate, maybe tree lucerne (tagasaste) might be a better option than pigeon pea.
     
  5. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    What grows abundantly where you live already?
     
  6. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    Weeds no doubt :lol:
     
  7. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    Aye, but what kind of weeds :p

    Where I live lupin is a weed. Makes great mulch.
     
  8. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    You might also search for 'cover crops'. Here is a useful US site: https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html

    Almost anything can be used as a mulch, straw, old hay, weeds, leaves, etc.

    Some of the deliberately sown ones are annual (grow one year and die at the end) and some are perennial (grow year after year). Some reseed freely but can be mowed or tilled just after flowering to avoid that. Some are useful as a growing mulch (clovers are one). Some compete well with weeds, some don't.

    Here's a forum thread on cover crops in vineyards in Oz: https://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.p ... f3e536a804

    And short-term cover crops in the north of Oz: https://www.grdc.com.au/uploads/document ... 061102.pdf

    Sue
     
  9. bazman

    bazman Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    https://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds/living_mulch.html

    https://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds/green_manure.html

    Clumping grasses like citronella grass or sugar cane are useful too.
     
  10. sunnyslopes

    sunnyslopes Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    I have been know to say, "if it isn't compost it must be mulch" I have 2 trucks that have become yard monuments, but I call them metal mulch. For best results something woody, but something that breaks down in a reasonable amount of time. I use the "city mulch" it is free and has already been composted to kill the seeds. The term sheet mulching refers to the layering of mulches to kill the weed seeds and provide the best medium for your application. The thing to remember about mulch is that you can't screw it up! If your mulch is too woody and doesn't help you out this year don't worry. Each season you add mulch it will break down quicker as you have established a colony of organisms that feed on your mulch. I hope this helps you out. Let me know. I don't know exactly what your climate and soil is. But this is good general information for sufficiently moist and warm climates.
     
  11. IntensiveGardener

    IntensiveGardener Junior Member

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    Re: What can I grow for Mulch

    I'v found lucern (not tree lucern) and comfrey to be the best quality mulch for growing fruits and vegies, They are noth high in Calcium, Phosphorus and Nitrogen and are vigorous.. Broad beans also produce lots of bulk in a short space of time. These crops have Huge root systems which mine deep into the soil for nutrients.
    You probably want to grow a combination of greens and browns. The green stuff like lucern and comfrey will help the tougher stuff to break down and feed the soil and plants as it does.
    For brown mulch material you could try straw. Rhycorn is a vigorous grower throughout winter. Another option is sunflowers or Jerusalem artichokes.
    With a mulcher you could also use small trees and shrubs.
    How much space do you have?
    Are deciduous trees possible?
     

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