Mulch Mulch Mulch


This time of year, Mother Nature blankets deciduous forests with mulch.  Wildwood Farm sits in a Valley that is mostly oak woodlands and meadows.  It seems like each leaf from a valley oak is big enough to singlehandedly mulch a one gallon plant.  With several heritage oaks on the property, we have thousands of leaves on our grounds.  Combine that with the Maple and Dogwood leaves and we have a huge supply of mulch.

If you’ve planted trees in your yard, chances are you’re debating about getting the rake out of the shed or leaving the leaves on the ground.  If they’re left on the ground, they’ll quickly break down.  This builds soil health in countless ways.  It is also something weeds love. 

Another option is to use the leaves against the weeds.  This means raking everyone up and stockpiling them in an area of your yard.  Piled on top of each other, the leaves tend to stay dry and don’t break down as quickly. 

In a few months, there will be a carpet of weeds in the backyard.  A quick pass with a hula hoe will knock them down.  Then, redistributing a thick layer of mulch will block their sun and kill them.  The extra bonus is the soil still benefits from the layer of organic mulch!

Comments