How to Mulch With Straw

Straw mulch is made of dried stalks of grain such as barley and wheat. It is different from hay, which originates from grassy plants. Sometimes, pine needles are also called "pine straw." If the mulch's label does not include the word "pine," assume it is made of grain stems. Pine needles acidify the soil and are ideal for azaleas and other acid-loving shrubs and trees. Straw does not alter the soil's pH. Use it as a winter mulch and vegetable garden mulch.

Hoe
Rake

Instructions

- 1
  Weed the area to be mulched.
- 2
  Spread straw mulch around the base of vegetable plants in mid-spring after the soil warms up. Build the pile to a depth of 6 to 8 inches to suppress weeds and slow evaporation. Do not make a volcano shape around the plant as if the stem were erupting from the crater. Create a straw layer that has uniform depth throughout. Leave 1 or 2 inches of space between the plants' stalks and the mulch for air to circulate.
- 3
  Replenish the straw as it decomposes throughout the growing season.
- 4
  Build a ring of straw mulch around shrubs and perennial flowers in early winter before the ground freezes. The winter mulch prevents the soil from rising, known as "frost heaving," and exposing the plants' roots to air. Make the layer 6 to 8 inches deep.
- 5
  Rake the winter mulch once the soil warms up in early spring. If you intend to keep the same plants mulched in the growing season, use a fresh batch of straw. That keeps overwintering disease agents from transferring from the old mulch to the vegetation.

Hummingbird Gardens in the Sacramento Valley

How to Fertilize Bare Root Plants

Outdoor Growing