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Mulch Ado About Nothing

McFarland's Mill

On this horticulture day edition of Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe talks to Richard Jauron, Iowa State University Extension Horticulture Specialist, and Linda Naeve, Iowa State University Extension Specialist in Value Added Agriculture, about how you can use mulch in your garden this summer. 

"Mulch has a lot of good characteristics to it and good advantages in a garden," Naeve says. "Most of us think, oh I want to mulch to keep the weeds down... but it also helps conserve soil moisture."

Mulch can also be used to regulate soil temperature and can reduce fruit and vegetable spoilage by keeping produce away from the soil.

Different types of mulch should be used in different parts of the garden.

"As far as woodchips, I probably wouldn't use those in a vegetable garden," Jauron says. "I would prefer to use things that break down more quickly like straw, grass clippings, shredded leaves, and use the wood chips around ornamentals, trees, shrubs, perennial beds, more permanent plantings."

Later in the hour, Naeve and Jauron answer listener questions.

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Hort DayHorticultureHort Day