Deep Mulch Gardening

[Gloria]

I read this article at Mother Earth News about deep mulch gardening. It addresses soil health, moisture and nutrient supply as well as no tilling. Many areas of our garden have been treated in a similar fashion although I rarely use animal manure.

This has been a very rainy season. We live in a bowl at the lowest point on our street, but the garden has been able to absorb the water. Twice the water rose but it was because the city sewers were not allowing storm water to flow out of the street and ally so it backed up into our yard. The house is built higher than the rest of the property so we were surrounded by water for an hour or so but it all was absorbed.

When we first moved here water could sit for days after even an average rainfall. The building of a rain garden and swale along with deep rooted native plants and the deep mulched areas has turned this site into a ground water filter and the plantings thrive. So much damage had been done to the working ecosystem and it's ability to self repair . What we have accomplished here has mostly been to grow a lot of biomass and then retain it on site as a diverse functioning ecosystem. Understanding and respect are key. This on an urban property, what we do makes a difference.

Deep Mulch Gardening: Building a Habitat for a Whole-Soil Ecosystem - Organic Gardening - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Deep Mulch Gardening: Building a Habitat for a Whole-Soil Ecosystem
10/7/2014 9:54:00 AM
By David R. Braden IV

When we till the soil we destroy the habitat for that whole soil ecosystem and start losing the participation of specific species. Without the participation of the primary decomposers we have to gather the carbon and nitrogen and do the composting ourselves. When we till in the compost all of those nutrients are available for our plants immediately. Our plants do not need all of the nutrients all at once and the unused nutrients are taken up by weeds or leach out in the rain. Then we have to supply more nutrients next year.

[EllenW]

Very interesting. Thank you Gloria. Will read when I have more time. Hungry horses are waiting.