Different sources offer different ways of mulching tomatoes in the greenhouse. Someone supports this way of taking care of plants, some opposed. I support and explain why.
- If tomatoes watered directly with the ground (and abundantly watered necessary) formed crust, which periodically have to pierce the forks to saturate the soil and ensure oxygen access to water roots. Under the mulch the ground does not form a crust and remain loose until the end of the season;
- In loose soil sprout weeds, ie Plot spends its strength and nutrients to the foreign plant. These weeds have to constantly remove. Mulching prevents weeds from the bed of litter;
- The coating layer of mulch protects the soil from overheating and drying, saves the time for watering and water consumption;
- Pathogenic bacteria and pests do not encroach on the plant, since it is enough "food", obtained from the mulch;
- At the end of the season the beds easy to handle. Just layer was dried to remove the mulch and dig a bed;
- Tomatoes are grateful for such care and every year I pick a good harvest healthy and beautiful tomatoes.
What I mulch the beds and how to plant tomatoes
In glasshouse in the beds dig wells, put a handful of ash and handful of chicken feather and very abundantly watered, to 5 l per well. Pour water into the hole gradually to uniformly soaked in water, and does not stagnate in the well. Omit sprouts, covered with earth, a little tough. More details about the method of planting, using chicken feather and its advantages, I talked to her last note. Link to it you will see later in this article.
When it is time to transplant the seedlings from the pots to a permanent place in the garden grows on grass lawn. I mow the grass mower and leave for 1-2 days on the lawn for drying. This grass, mulch plants, ie, it evenly laid out, covering all the land. During the season, I'm doing so many times as you mow the grass on the lawn.
Surplus grass crumbled under the strawberries, to berries do not touch the ground and does not rot. In addition to cut grass under plants put all cut off in the garden daffodils leaves, tulips, nettle, etc. There also are the leaves and stepchildren tomatoes - all stored under the plants.
Do not think that by the end of the season at the garden of a large layer of grass. Everything dries and then easily removed from the garden to the compost pit. But the whole season I save time on watering for removing weeds on the soil piercing. Water the tomatoes very rarely 1-2 times in 2 weeks, if the summer is not hot, it is even rarer.
I mulch, as you understand, use herbs. But from the experience of their neighbors, I know that some mulch with old newspapers, cardboard, film, and even, perhaps, something important to prevent the growth of weeds and direct water contact with the ground. Such methods, I do not welcome mulching, because:
- under the film, due to lack of fresh air, and condensation occurs the formation of pathogenic bacteria;
- of old newspapers in the soil falls from the zinc ink;
- board by the end of the season turns to dust and is hard to remove from the garden, and it is not recommended to leave in the soil, because it contains a glue.
Mulching grass I use for many years, never disappointed in this soil and land protection mode.
Thank you and see you soon! :) Come visit, Stay live! :)
The promised link:
A unique way of planting peppers with chicken pen, and why it is gaining huge popularity