My fabric pots are starting to dry out a lot quicker then they used to now that it’s getting really hot outside. I’m thinking it’s time to mulch my pots. Does anyone have a preferred mulch for outdoor plants to maintain moisture? Is there anything I should stay away from.
Sorry if this is a dumb question I’m struggling to find anything on my own. I was thinking about creating my own mulch with a bunch of old leaves that I ground up in a pile but I’m afraid that will welcome unwanted bugs to my pots.
6 inches thick
I will be stuffing a lot more under these after the crimson clover is about 6 inches tall. If you can find rotting bales thats the best. Bust em apart in layers and lay it on the soil. As well, if you are using black fabric pots, wrap them in a white cotton clothe. Crappy pillow case or what have you.
Careful with wood chips, they can cause nitrogen deficiencies. They can also be quite acidic. Hay is vastly superior. Its sad too because I own and operate a tree service… we have literally tons and tons of wood chips. We compost them and use poplar chips as a top dressing in vegetable gardens primarliy paths. We have recently stopped doing that in favour of hay because of the quicker decomp rate of the hay and a greater insulative factor both for temperature control and water retention. One caveat with hay is places with high field mice or vole population can have an issue with the little bastards using the hay for cover.
Hay may be better at absorbing the water, and decompose quicker (which is why I went with wood chips) but with my experience, it’s loaded with seeds.
I understand the risks of nitrogen being ‘locked up’ in the wood chips, that’s why they are on top, acting as a mulch layer, and not mixed into the soil.
As far as it being acidic, that goes for any decomposing organic matter. I used decomposing leaves to grow my raspberries in, for the acidity. But that required all leaves and no soil, to keep the ph around 5.
By the looks of my plants this year, and the years before using wood chips, it appears the microbial life I’ve added and the rainwater keeps them in the right PH range.
Another thing I like about the wood chips, is the amazing Mycelium development they allow.
no denying wood chips are good. Hay, is the plant cut before it goes to seed! Furthermore, a 6" layer of hay is a deterrent to seed of any type germinating!
As I said, we do use wood chips, and many clients take chips. The mycelium they produce is only partially beneficial to cannabis. What you see there is the mycelium of wood rotting fungi! While its good for rotting wood, that particular mycelium is not associated with cannabis root growth directly. However, if what you have going on there is working, there is clearly no need to fix it! Your plant do look good!
As an organic grower, I always appreciate the use of decomposed plant material of all kinds, the more the merrier! Funny thing is, animal waste is just decomposed plant material with urea in it and some seed. I like lama poo because they are very efficient at making manure. Sheep are good too!
By the way, wood chips create a very good environment for worms! They love a layer of wood chips. Just be careful not to till the chips under.
What are you using as a feed?
There definitely won’t be any tilling done here lol The plan is to put plants straight in the same pots next year, but maybe adding a little more soil on top after removing wood chips, if need be.
I was told the opposite. I’ve heard straw is cut before going to seed, since hay is food for cattle etc., they need the seeds for nutrition. But regardless, for me, it’s all been full of seeds lol
And yeah, the worms love the wood chips. Since adding them to all my gardens and flower beds, I have worms galore!
These are the microbes I’m using.
No, straw is what is left after the grain has been removed. The straw is then collected in rows and bailed. Hay is grasses that are cut prior to seed, because of this hay can be harvested up to 3 times a year. Hay is more nutritious than straw because straw is end game and the nutrients are used up to makebtge grain, not unlike a pot plant using up all its leaf energy to make buds. Hay is harvested during the vegitative period and thus has more nutrients left in the plant.
Ah. That’s where I was confused. I knew straw is a byproduct of the grain industry, which is why I was confused when I got straw bales that were loaded with seeds lol
