Adding mulch to vegetable gardens

Preparing for the gardening season invariably includes weed and water management. Useful tools, besides the hose and hoe, are mulches. Once vegetable plants have sprouted and are three to four inches tall, the use of a mulch can reduce weeding, keep the soil cool, reduce pathogens and help maintain even soil moisture and temperature.

Mulching guru Ruth Stout suggested in her book “Gardening Without Work” that mulches will decompose into the soil and more must be added through the season. The mulch will add to soil organic matter and enrich the soil.

The Tomato Bible website reports organic mul...