Spring planting in mulch helps control weeds, including reducing the need to weed as much. Few weeds will come up through a 4-inch layer of hay. In spring we plant several crops into hay mulch to help ...

Question: I like the idea of using hay for a mulch in paths throughout the garden. Is there a way to keep it from sprouting and filling the paths with weeds? Answer: Hay is a favorite mulch for many ...

MADISON, Minn. — Ever since Carmen Fernholz stopped raising hogs, he has been searching for another nutrient source for his farm’s 480 organic acres. He thinks he's found it in alfalfa. Fernholz is ...

It seems like a no-brainer on what to use, right? Use straw and avoid weeds. Yet it’s not so simple. Hay is higher in nitrogen than straw: 0.1-2 percent vs. 0.3-1 percent. In addition, there’s the ...

I am a huge fan of Ruth Stout, the Mulch Queen, whose method, in short was: mulch is wonderful, put it everywhere, and even spread it naked if you like, just not during rush hour. Mrs. Stout ...

Organic apple farming starts from the ground up. Maintaining a healthy orchard floor is the key to preventing weeds and keeping soil healthy. Researchers compared three methods of orchard floor ...

Nowadays people use the terms hay and straw interchangeably, and in most cases, it makes no difference whatsoever. For example, we say we were on a hayride at a get-together even though the wagons are ...

Organics are the best way to go in your garden. Plenty of organic mulches are available, and they often can be had for free. Right out in your back yard or your neighbor’s you will find one good ...

A recent conversation with Carol Reese took me back, way back to my earliest days as a gardener. Carol, who retired in 2021 from a distinguished career as a horticultural extension specialist in the ...