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Subject Topic: Mulch and Bug Treatment for Veg Garden Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Kathryn
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Posted: May 31 2010 at 6:53pm | IP Logged Quote Kathryn
So, I could prob. search around on-line to find these answers but I figured I'd come straight to some trusted pros!   

First: We have two 4' square gardening beds this year. Do I need to add mulch now? It's already mid-upper 90s for a week and for at least the next week so I think we do but I'm not sure and I'm thinking the guy at the garden center told me not to put the "regular" mulch in my veg garden but I can't remember.

Second: we are having some ants and other insects but I don't want to treat w/ pesticide and/or do anything that would get rid of bees or ladybugs. Any suggestions?

Thanks,



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insegnante
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Posted: May 31 2010 at 9:43pm | IP Logged Quote insegnante
Sprinkling cinnamon may deter ants. I think we had success with that around strawberries in our garden last year. Sorry, I know you wanted advice from trusted pros, but I'm not one, and suggest Googling for details

You mentioned "4' square gardening beds" -- I'm assuming you don't mean you're Square Foot Gardening If not, I'm not sure whether it's too late for you to switch over what you're growing now to that system, but I recommend it for the future. The Square Foot Gardening book might have some helpful tips applicable to any garden, and I haven't spent a lot of time on the Web site but maybe there too...

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JennGM
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Posted: June 01 2010 at 12:01am | IP Logged Quote JennGM
Good question, Theresa. If you followed the Square Foot method and used Mel's mix for the added "soil" there is no need to add mulch. We never have. There are very few weeds we get, enough to take only a few minutes to pull if necessary.

I don't know about the ants. Sorry. I keep the insecticide away since it's food you're going to eat, but there probably is an easy way to keep them out.

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Donna Marie
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Posted: June 01 2010 at 12:46pm | IP Logged Quote Donna Marie
JennGM wrote:
Good question, Theresa. If you followed the Square Foot method and used Mel's mix for the added "soil" there is no need to add mulch. We never have. There are very few weeds we get, enough to take only a few minutes to pull if necessary.



Have you found good sources of the mix 'parts'? I was trying to price it for up here and was having a little trouble getting some of it in bulk...maybe it was the vermiculite?...can't quite remember...



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lilac hill
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Posted: June 03 2010 at 5:47am | IP Logged Quote lilac hill
I am a terrible weeder so we heavily mulch our garden. I used spoiled hay. Straw is usually recommended over hay, because of the seeds but I have not had any trouble (weeds are easy to pull) and the price is right. I do have slugs but collars around the cole crops and chickens in the cold months help reduce the damage. A google search/youtube search under Ruth Stout can give you an idea of what we do here. I heavily mulch with square foot garden beds.

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JennGM
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Posted: June 03 2010 at 9:37am | IP Logged Quote JennGM
lilac hill wrote:
A google search/youtube search under Ruth Stout can give you an idea of what we do here. I heavily mulch with square foot garden beds.


Ah, Ruth Stout! Love her books!

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