July 16, 2015

Petals from the second flush of blooms from my ‘Hot Cocoa’ rose.

Who said you couldn’t mulch the zinnias with rose petals?

Soon after planting my ‘Berry Basket’ zinnias and red peppers I mulched with grass clippings. Our under-watered grass isn’t growing as fast so fewer clippings for mulch this year. 

The grass works well as a mulch with my vegetables and degrades over time. On top of the grass I put a thick layer of pine needles to hold moisture in the soil. 

These don’t break down much so I gather them at season’s end and toss into Lucy’s shady pine needle nest, her favorite hangout.

But the point of my meanderings on mulch was a reminder to mulch your garden and fruit trees. If you need more reasons or want to know about the benefits of mulch read Get the Most From Vegetable Garden Mulches by Barbara Pleasant in Mother Earth News.