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Old June 7, 2017   #1
cjp1953
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio
Posts: 818
Default putting down straw mulch

Right now soil temps are in the mid 60's,I always use a 6 to 8 inch layer of straw to mulch around all my plants in the garden.With all this cool weather we have had I'm not sure if I should wait another week as it's going to be in the upper 80's next week with low's in the 70's at night.Right now it's in the mid 50's at night.I put a black cloth cover on the ground and planted my pepper and cucumber into it to warm up that part of the garden and plan to remove it and then mulch.With so much rain we've been getting the weather has been at least 10 degrees cooler than normal.My tomato plants have really suffered because of all the rain.I had to replace 8 out 15 plants because they just rotted away.My garden drains well but we have not had this much rain in a long time.Clay soil about 12 inches down.I have been using straw mulch the last 10 years and cover crops in the winter to help build the soil.Crazy weather the last two years for April and May.Thinking of waiting another week,anyone in this part of the country or having the same weather who mulches having the same problem?

Last edited by cjp1953; June 7, 2017 at 04:34 AM.
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