| Author |
Message |
    
Fosfool
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 08:37 am EST : |   
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I am moving in 4 weeks, and am thinking about using compost/manure for mulch instead of my usual cypress shavings. Cypress shavings keep weeds down,but don't generally permit self-sowing.
What is your +/- experience using compost as mulch and is it ok to use compost/manure combo? That is what is available to me at my local co-op.
Will compost grow alot of weeds?
Thanks for your help!!
Fosfool WV Zone 6 |
Kvilledude
My Weather
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 08:04 pm EST : |
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The only downside to using compost that I can see is that it gets used up by the plants you are mulching and/or decomposes extremely fast--not necessarily a bad thing if you have lots to use. Compost is naturally weedfree if the pile where it is made gets hot enough to kill the weed seeds in the ingredients used to make the compost. Aged manure is fine to use as a combo mulch and fertilizer provided it is sufficiently aged so it doesn't burn your plants but can contain a fair amount of weed seeds depending on the type of manure you are using and whether it has been composted prior to use.
Kvilledude
- North Carolina,
Zone "7A"
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Gardenshowlady
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 08:36 pm EST : |
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Like Miguel said...
No harm in doing so. Only down side is that some folks like the look of mulch. So that is purely aesthetic.
Gardenshowlady |
Fosfool
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 09:25 pm EST : |
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Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it.
One more question, please......
Do weed seeds that blow in the compost from the yard germinate easier than if one was using cypress mulch?
Thanks again....
Fosfool WV Zone 6 |
Kvilledude
My Weather
| | Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 07:46 am EST : |
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Don't know definitely but I would say the weed seeds would germinate in the compost more readily than in cypress mulch since the compost is finer and serves as nutrient source whereas the cypress mulch is coarser and serves as more of a barrier to the soil than would compost.
Kvilledude
- North Carolina,
Zone "7A"
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Jeanne
My Garden Journal
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 01:15 pm EST : |
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Covering all bare soil with mulch prevents rain from washing away top soil It also buffers the soil from temperature extremes, controls weeds, and helps to retain moisture.
Jeanne
- Texas,
Zone "8"
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