When straw bales are delivered, they are stacked and covered in plastic tarp in at the front of the community garden.
We use straw to mulch the plots after all of your plants have been planted.
We do this for a couple of reasons:
- Weed prevention
- Disease and pest control
- Moisture retention
Before the straw is put down, you want to put down cardboard or newspaper (several layers).
Don’t just put it next to each other, but overlap. Any exposed dirt and the weeds will find their way through!
After all exposed non planted dirt is covered, water it well.
Then put a thick layer of straw on top. As a gauge, you want to use at least 1 bale per 10 x 10 plot, maybe a bit more to finish.
*This season much of our straw was delivered bagged. Light bags are 1/2 bale, so you need 2 bags for a 10×10 plot. There are a few bags that have a whole bale in them.
This will last the entire season without breaking down. You will spend minimal time weeding your plot (yeah!).
We require all plots to be mulched to prevent weed spread, and minimized pests and disease throughout the community garden.