The dream of every gardener is to get a rich harvest with as little effort as possible. Experienced gardeners are sure that mulching strawberries is a must. Thanks to this agricultural practice, a layer of mulch retains moisture in the soil, and it is quite difficult for weeds to break through to the light; the soil becomes nutritious and loose. One of the cheapest, but at the same time, effective ways to increase soil fertility is to mulch it with mowed grass. Very often, grass clippings are thrown away or burned, but they can be used as mulch. Mulching strawberries is a very important part of care, comparable to proper planting and watering. Is it possible to mulch strawberries with freshly cut grass, how to carry out mulching correctly and what is needed for this - we will figure it out together in our article.

Mulching strawberries

The yield of your favorite berry depends on many factors: soil moisture, the presence of sufficient nutrients, the absence of weeds, protection from diseases and pests. So, mulching allows you to:

• Maintain soil moisture for a long time. A layer of mulch reduces evaporation. The number of waterings is reduced.
• Contain the growth of weeds. The need for frequent weeding disappears. This is especially true in cases where film or fabric is used as a mulching layer.
• Keep warm. The covering material prevents heat from escaping from the soil. This is important during winter and spring cold weather.
• Enrich the soil with humus. Straw, sawdust or mown grass, rotting, provides plants with the necessary substances.
• Prevent contamination and rotting. Mulch prevents berries from coming into contact with wet soil. The presentation of strawberries and their taste are preserved.
• Protect berries from diseases. First of all, from gray rot, which occurs from contact with the ground.

When to mulch strawberries

To understand how to properly mulch strawberries, you need to know when to do it. This procedure must be carried out twice a year. The first time this is done is in the spring, when fruit buds begin to appear on the strawberry bushes. This is done so that the flower stalks do not come into contact with the ground. You can remove the mulch after the crop is harvested or at the end of summer. The second time to mulch strawberries is in late autumn. This is necessary so that the plants do not freeze when the first cold weather arrives. You can remove the mulch in the spring, as soon as the bushes begin to grow.

Benefits of mulching with grass clippings

Unlike inorganic materials, organic materials are completely natural and safe, and are also easily available and do not need to be purchased. Grass grows in every vegetable garden and it would be a sin not to use it for such useful purposes.

What does mulching strawberries with grass give:

1. Improving soil structure. A layer of grass will give a greenhouse effect and create favorable conditions for the life of earthworms. They naturally loosen the soil and also enrich it with humus.
2. Protecting roots from temperature changes. A layer of grass mulch creates an “air cushion” that will prevent overheating of the plant’s roots in hot weather and hypothermia in frosty weather.
3. Hydration. Mulch prevents the soil from drying out quickly, so you can water your strawberries much less often.
4. Protection of soil from washing out. Grass mulch will prevent rain from washing away the top fertile layer. It, like a natural umbrella, will prevent the beds from washing away during rainstorms.
5. Interference with weed growth. A layer of mulching will prevent weeds from breaking through. This will save you from frequent weeding of the beds and will make caring for strawberries much easier.

Perhaps strawberry beds covered with a layer of mown grass will not look as attractive as before, but all of the above advantages more than cover this small insignificant drawback.

When mulching strawberries with grass, the following rules must be observed:

1. Freshly cut grass must be slightly dried before using for mulching. Fresh grass is not suitable for mulch because it lies in a very dense layer that does not allow air to pass through well and rots easily.
2. Use young grass that does not have seeds. If you take grass with seeds, they can germinate in the garden bed and you will have to weed a lot of weeds.
3. It is necessary to lay mulch on previously weeded and watered strawberry beds, leaving the root zone and stems of the plants free to protect them from rotting.
4. The best time for mulching with grass is spring, because it is during this period that plants need nitrogen, which is contained in large quantities in grass. It is necessary to lay mulch only on well-warmed soil, otherwise it can slow down plant growth.
5. Mulch from mowed grass should be laid in a layer of 5-7 cm. With a smaller layer thickness, the grass and the soil underneath will dry out quickly, and the main task of mulching with grass is to keep the ground constantly moist.
6. Over time, under the influence of microorganisms and earthworms, the layer of grass mulch will become smaller. Therefore, it needs to be renewed periodically by placing fresh grass on top of the old one.
7. Mulching strawberries with grass is done during the formation of the first ovaries. The grass is laid in a layer of 5 cm in the aisles between the beds. This will protect the delicate berries from being splashed with soil during watering and rain, as well as from rotting.
8. Strawberry mulch is incorporated into the soil or placed in a compost pit for further rotting.

Mulching strawberries with grass cuttings

The green mass of grass cut in summer is a useful fertilizer and valuable mulching material. There is no need to be afraid to use grass under strawberries, looking at the above disadvantages. Taking these into account, two things need to be done:

• Chop the grass clippings. Grass chaff will not cake or become damp; it is better aerated and decomposes faster than whole grass. You can chop the green mass using special choppers or a lawn mower with a mulching function. In such lawn mowers, the grass is chopped into fine crumbs before entering the grass catcher. And since the grass on the site is cut every week, there will be no shortage of mulch in the summer.
• Pre-dry the chaff. Slightly dried in the sun, it will no longer become waterlogged and moldy. To prevent grass cuttings from attracting slugs and snails, you can mix it with dolomite flour.

When giving preference to such a cheap covering material as mowed grass, you need to remember that it attracts insect pests and rodents, and also contains weed seeds. Isn't it better to spend money on film or fabric?

Tireless gardeners also use other, less common methods, weighing the pros and cons. All methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, you need to focus on the method that is suitable for the size of your plot, will increase productivity and will be the least expensive.

Today, every second gardener allocates space for a lawn on his plot. For some, it occupies a small area, while others sow a vast area with lawn grass. Both of them are faced with the need to regularly mow the lawn grass, but not everyone knows how to make good use of the “garbage” remaining after this procedure. But for mown lawn grass you can find very valuable and very diverse uses in any garden plot.
The green crushed mass, which remains at my disposal after mowing the lawn, is an excellent material for preparing early ripening. For these purposes, in the far corner of my plot there is a spacious box made from pieces of old slate, where in one season I prepare excellent organic fertilizer for all my cultivated plants. The large amount of lawn grass remaining after spring mowing procedures is enough to fill this compost bin to the top. In order for the process of overheating the grass to take place effectively, I lay it in layers 20-30 cm high, which I sprinkle with soil (10-15 cm), and then spill it generously with a solution of some EM preparation. Most often I use Baikal EM-1, consuming 100 ml for every 10 liters of water. When laying the grass and soil, I do not compact it too much, otherwise the EM preparation will not work without air access. In dry weather, I moisten the compost with water, and if there are prolonged rains, I cover the box with film so that the contents do not sour. By autumn, with the help of beneficial bacteria contained in such biological preparations, I obtain excellent quality compost, which I add to garden beds and to the tree trunks of garden plants.
There are two small greenhouses on my site. Instead of one capacious greenhouse, I installed two small ones, since cucumbers and tomatoes need completely different microclimates during the growth period, and, being planted separately from each other, they bear fruit much better. In the greenhouse where the cucumbers grow, at the beginning of their flowering, I install a 50-liter barrel, which I fill halfway with mowed lawn grass, and then fill it to the top with water. I add to the contents a liter jar of wood ash and 6 tbsp. the same "Baikal". I mix everything and leave it to ferment. The carbon dioxide released during this process contributes to the massive formation of female inflorescences on cucumber bushes, which in turn produce a large amount of ovary. After the fermentation process in the barrel is over, I use the resulting infusion for feeding: I dilute 0.5 liters of infusion in a bucket of water and pour it under the root of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, etc. 1 liter of this drug. And then I fill the emptied barrel with a new portion of lawn grass and again leave it in the “cucumber” greenhouse for fermentation.
Green matter chopped with a trimmer is excellent for mulching. However, if you mulch the soil with a thick layer of freshly cut lawn grass, after a while it becomes strongly compressed after watering and begins to rot, and there is no need to talk about the benefits of such mulching. Therefore, after mowing the lawn, I first dry the grass in the sun for a couple of days, and then spread it under vegetable crops, in the flower garden and in the trunk circles of shrubs and young trees. Such mulch leaves the soil moist, loose, eliminates the need for weeding and weed removal, and when rotting, it saturates the soil with humic compounds, which are so necessary for any plant for normal growth and fruiting. As it rots, I update the mulch from the mown grass with a new portion. Separately, I would like to mention that in lawn grass, during the process of decay, Bacillus subtilis is released, which suppresses the activity of various pathogenic microorganisms found in the soil, so mulching with such material is an excellent prevention of fungal plant diseases.
In the second half of summer and early autumn, when fertilizing plants with nitrogen fertilizers is no longer required, there is no need for mulching, and regular lawn mowing continues, I find another use for the mowed grass. I completely dry the green mass, rake it and put it dry in plastic bags. I open them in late autumn, when I begin to prepare heat-loving crops for wintering - grapes, clematis, roses, actinidia, etc. For them I build a reliable shelter that protects the shoots and root system not only from freezing, but also from damping off. To do this, I first prepare the plants themselves - I prune them, treat them with fungicides, remove the lashes from the supports and lay them on the ground, and then I cover them headlong with dry lawn grass and cover them with thick plastic film, tightly securing its ends to the ground with improvised materials (work on I make sure to build a shelter in dry weather). The “filling” of such a shelter, consisting of a dry fine fraction of lawn grass, has excellent thermal insulation properties, protecting plants from unfavorable conditions in winter.
Kudrina Irina

One of the significant goals of natural farming technology is to reduce the labor intensity of work on the site. In the article we will talk about mulching with mowed grass, straw, hay and weeds, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of the methods.

With the timely and correct use of mulch, agricultural operations such as weeding, watering and loosening the soil are significantly reduced in quantitative terms. Moreover, mulching the soil with organic materials ensures the transfer of biological substances into the soil, which allows you to restore soil fertility in the shortest possible time and turn poor soil into a blooming garden.

The benefits of mulching the soil on the site

Let's consider the advantages of mulch when used on the site:

• Enrichment of poor and depleted soils with humus. Soil enrichment occurs when the lower part of the mulch decomposes in the soil, producing the formation of a humus layer. The top layer of mulch, under the influence of beneficial microorganisms, is mostly mineralized, so the earth is enriched with minerals.
• Prevents the growth and development of weeds. For example, inorganic mulch (agrofibre, agrofabric, film) shades areas, which prevents the development of weeds. Therefore, the soil should be mulched with inorganic material after the emergence of seedlings in the garden bed.
• Mulch prevents excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil cover. In the soil under mulch, moisture is always retained much longer, so the plant requires watering much less often.
• Mulch protects the soil layer from overheating and hypothermia. The mulch layer serves as a reliable cover for the soil. During the day and night, the temperature in the soil equalizes, which improves the conditions for plant development and promotes the formation of condensation, which nourishes the plants with moisture.
• Mulch protects the soil from low temperatures. In winter, the soil under the mulch does not freeze. In spring it thaws quickly, which contributes to the active and intensive development of plants. Intensive plant growth allows gardeners and gardeners to get an early and rich harvest.
• Mulch protects the soil well from leaching; surface water runoff is reduced by more than half, since water, thanks to mulch, becomes intrasoil.
• Mulch prevents the formation of soil crust; the soil always remains loose even after rains and watering.
• Mulching provides nutrition for beneficial microorganisms that produce carbon dioxide during their life processes, which are necessary for the carbon nutrition of any plants

Tip #1. You can prevent the development of erosion processes in the soil with the help of any organic mulch, if you use mulch at the rate of 250-300 g perM 2 . Organic matter slows down erosion processes in the soil by 70%. It is important to know that digging up the mulched soil layer reduces the effectiveness of protection against erosion processes by 40%.

Sandy soils especially need mulch. Such soils are covered with mulch up to 10-12 cm thick.

Types of organic and inorganic mulch

The main advantage of organic mulch is an increase in mineral compounds and the formation of humus in the soil. The advantage of inorganic mulch is its ability to preserve and maintain an optimal level of moisture in the soil, as well as prevent the growth of weeds. In the table we consider the types of organic and inorganic mulch:

Types of Organic Mulch	Types of Inorganic Mulch
Mowed lawn or meadow grass	Polyethylene film
Weeds, nettles, burdocks	Spunbond
Green manure and remains of cultivated plants	Spunbel
Straw, hay	Lutrasil
Compost, humus	Agrofibre, agrofabric
Sawdust, tree bark
Leaf and pine litter
Peat

Nonwoven materials, thanks to polypropylene fibers, are highly permeable to moisture, light and air. There is no need to remove the film when watering plants.

• In spring, soil mulching with organic and inorganic materials is carried out mainly to prevent the development of weeds. As well as evaporation of moisture, reducing the frequency of watering, and also for the accumulation of heat in the soil.
• In summer, mulching is carried out in order to protect the plant from death and overheating of the top layer of soil. Mulching in summer allows you to maintain the optimal temperature for the growth and development of crops.
• In the autumn, mulching of the soil is carried out in order to protect the soil from weathering, washing out and freezing. Autumn mulching promotes the proper development of plants the following year.

In the table we consider plant crops that need mulching during the fruiting period:

During the fruiting period, the seedlings of the above crops are mulched and watered with microbiological origin “Shine”. The action of such a biological product helps to start the processes of decay of organic mulch, so the plants receive all the necessary nutrients.

The biological product contains beneficial microorganisms that promote the decomposition of organic materials and the formation of humus in the soil.

Types of organic and mineral mulch: features, advantages and disadvantages

Rotted material is used as organic mulch, and fresh material is used as mineral mulch. Let's look at the features of organic types of mulch:

Cut grass– the most affordable material for mulching. Mown lawn or meadow grass is used for mulch only in a wilted state. Using dead grass reduces snail migration. A top layer of mulch dries out and discourages slug formation, which requires a damp, damp surface. In this regard, plants in mulched beds with mowed grass are less likely to be affected by slugs in rare cases.

Sawdust. The soil is mulched mainly with sawdust, which was obtained after processing deciduous trees. Before adding sawdust, it must be dried and weathered. It is best to add sawdust with mowed grass.

Straw and hay– the best types of mulch for vegetable crops. Both materials retain the optimal amount of moisture and heat in the soil. During decomposition, they feed the culture with the necessary substances.

– improves soil structure. Mulch the soil mainly with leaf humus. Retains moisture and helps plants survive summer drought. Increases soil fertility, as it is a favorable habitat for earthworms.

Leaf litter is used together with peat and compost.

Coniferous litter— improves soil structure, used as a loosening material. Prevents the formation of a dense cortical layer. Use with rotted manure or compost.

Sawdust and pine residues improve breathability on heavy clay soils

The table shows the advantages and disadvantages of mulch types:

Types of mulch	Advantages	Flaws
Cut grass	Cover vegetable, fruit and berry plants. Quickly decomposes in the soil, turning into organic fertilizer.	Regular addition and renewal is required due to the rapid decomposition of the lower layer of mulch.
Sawdust	Reliable shelter for the soil before winter. Softens the impact of temperature changes.	When overheating, a large amount of nitrogen is consumed. When applied fresh, the materials cake and compact the soil layer. Acidify the soil.
Straw
tree bark
Coniferous litter

Tip #2. Freshly cut grass is used to mulch the soil on which crops grow, which require large amounts of nutrients for growth and development. These crops include tomatoes.

Freshly cut grass can be used for mulch in chopped and large form.

Types of mulch that should only be applied in the fall

Some soil mulching materials are high in carbon. Such material, when covered with soil, decomposes and combines with nitrogen in the soil. Microorganisms, under the influence of carbon and nitrogen, multiply intensively and begin to use nitrogen for nutrition in large quantities.

Loss of nitrogen leads to weakened growth and development of plants. It is known that microflora dies in the autumn, and that nitrogen substances accumulate during this period, so materials with a high carbon content should be applied only in the fall.

Organic materials suitable for the autumn mulching procedure:

• sawdust;
• tree bark;
• pine litter;
• straw;
• peat.

In the table we consider organic materials and their carbon and nitrogen content:

Organic material	Amount of carbon and nitrogen content
Freshly cut grass	19:1
Sawdust	450:1
Coniferous litter	80:1
tree bark	700:1
Dry leaves	50:1
Weeds	30:1
Hay	15:1
Straw	80:1
Peat	90:1

It is recommended to increase mulching in late autumn to reduce the risk of freezing and soaking of the plant crop. In early spring, reduce the thickness of the mulch as soon as the weather becomes smooth and warm. If necessary, mulch is renewed in early spring or added on top of last year's mulch if the previous layer is less than 3-5 cm. Mulch is added in spring, summer and autumn.

Before laying mulch, do weeding and apply only mineral fertilizers. Under the mulch, it is advisable to apply fertilizers that contain phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Common mistakes gardeners make when mulching the soil

1. The introduction of sawdust and tree bark without adding or mixing mown grass, which leads to a decrease in nitrogen compounds in the soil due to the intensive proliferation of microorganisms that begin to use nitrogen for their nutrition.
2. Adding freshly cut grass.
3. Mulching the soil with high carbon content materials.

Frequently asked questions: how to mulch the soil correctly

Question No. 1. What mulch composition is considered the best for vegetable crops?

The best mulch consists of materials high in nitrogen and materials containing carbon compounds. These include green manure crops, mown lawn and meadow grass; for carbon mulch - straw, fallen or rotted leaves, tree bark and sawdust. Nitrogen and carbon mulches can be mixed before application.

Question No. 2. Is it possible to use the bark of old and destroyed trees as wood mulch?

Wood bark for mulch is not suitable from old and destroyed trees, since such mulch does not provide nutritional value for plants, and such bark may contain fungal spores, which will lead to infection of the plant crop. Bark that easily comes away from the trunk and does not crumble into small pieces is suitable. Trees cut down no more than 5-6 months ago are also suitable for harvesting bark.

Question No. 3. What layer thickness of organic mulch is optimal for vegetable and berry crops?

The thickness of the mulch layer should not exceed 7 cm. A mulch thickness of more than 7-8 cm leads to compaction of the soil layer and rotting processes.

Question No. 4. What is the best mulch to use when planting potatoes?

Since the development of potato tubers depends on the air permeability of the soil, dry and loose needles will create proper air drainage for the potato root system.

(Last Updated On: 12/02/2017)

After mowing the grass in a suburban area, the question almost always arises: “Where should I put the mowed grass now?” And this question is very pressing and at the same time difficult - after all, in a particularly fertile year, such an amount of grass is mowed from vast lawns that it will not be possible to just take it and throw it away - it will take too much time. However, you should not think that mowed grass is just organic garbage; precisely because of its organic origin, it will be very useful in a summer cottage; for example, you can mulch the soil with mowed grass. After all, grass is a rich source of nutrients, and when chopped with a lawn mower or trimmer, it will release all its juices to the soil much faster. However, you need to know how to act and how to use the mowed grass so that such mulching brings maximum benefits.

Mulching – what is it?

Mulching means covering the soil with one material or another in order to protect it from excessive moisture loss and drying out, prevent weeds from developing and create an excellent microclimate in the soil that will attract earthworms - natural cultivators and soil enrichers. That is, mulching the soil allows the owner of the site to practically not think about his plantings - only water occasionally, pull out especially arrogant and large weeds and perform some other routine tasks.

The only drawback of mulching is that the beds do not look the most presentable, but they are not laid out for beauty, so the aesthetic component can be slightly neglected. In addition, mulching certainly has much more advantages. And for aesthetic pleasure, it is better to plant flower beds and mow the lawn.

So, the main advantages of mulching:

• maintaining soil moisture;
• slowing down weed growth;
• leveling temperature changes during the day;
• preventing the formation of a dry crust on the surface of the earth, which reduces the possibility of root respiration of plants;
• creating a suitable microclimate for earthworms and beneficial microorganisms;
• protection against the development of fungal colonies.

Mulching materials

As mentioned above, freshly cut grass is excellent for mulching - spread on the ground, it will prevent the evaporation of moisture for a long time, while giving away its own moisture to the soil. And if the grass is mowed at the very peak of growth, when the seeds have not yet ripened, then there is no need to be afraid that a wall of weeds will soon grow in place of the grass.

Last year's grass can also be used for mulching, but it has one big disadvantage - dry grass does not release moisture to the soil, but, on the contrary, draws it in, and besides, old grass begins to rot faster. Therefore, freshly cut grass is much more convenient and effective for mulching. However, such material may be too waterlogged, which will attract slugs and snails - pests of many garden crops - to the beds. Therefore, before laying it on the bed, it is recommended to slightly wither fresh grass in the sun.

In addition to grass, peat, pine needles, humus, tree bark, sawdust and other natural materials can be used to mulch the soil. However, they need to be additionally prepared - collected, loosened, etc., while the grass mowed on the lawn is already ready for use.

The use of synthetic films and rigid cardboard is also allowed, however, such options have a huge number of disadvantages. Therefore, there is probably nothing better than fresh grass for mulching.

Mulching the soil with mowed grass requires following certain recommendations; only in this case can you expect a tangible result:

• before covering the ground with it, the mown grass must be slightly withered in the sun, this will reduce its moisture content, which in turn will not allow the development of a colony of mold fungi;
• Do not lay grass mulch in a dense layer - it will prevent the penetration of oxygen;
• Before mulching, you need to thoroughly weed the beds and spill them with enough water;
• mulch should not cover the root area of ​​the soil and the stems of climbing plants, otherwise they will simply rot;
• It is best to mulch in spring and early summer, at this moment the seeds in the grass have not yet ripened, and cultivated plants have a high need for nitrogen, which is precisely what is contained in the grass;
• the soil on which the mulch is laid must be well warmed by the Sun, so you should not mulch until stable warm weather has established;
• the time for mulching strongly depends on the climate in the region - in the southern regions you can mulch the soil even before planting the plants, and in the northern regions the soil is covered with mulch only after the plants have become stronger;
• the mulch layer should have a thickness of 5-7 cm, a thinner layer will poorly retain moisture, a thicker layer will not be ventilated and will be blocked;
• the amount of mulch in the beds will decrease over time, so you need to periodically update it;
• mulching of garden strawberries is carried out with a layer of 5 cm in the aisles between plantings during the setting of the first fruits;
• tomatoes are mulched after planting in the ground, but we must not forget that the area around the stem and roots should be free;
• under perennial plantings, mulch need not be removed for the winter, and mulch from annual crops is dug up along with the ground;
• Mulching is a long-term procedure, so a noticeable increase in yield will be noticeable only after 2-3 years. In the first year, the main advantage of mulching is that it takes less time and effort to water, loosen and weed the beds.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the mulching process, so you just need to be patient and understand all the simple principles of this work.

Typically, summer residents lay out lawns on their plots for beauty, although some do this for purely practical reasons. But don’t rush to accuse them of being down-to-earth – read this article first.

I have long been convinced of the enormous benefits that mulch from mowed grass brings to the garden s, but one day I thought: “Is it possible to extract even greater benefit from it, since it rushes and rushes?” I conducted several experiments, thought about the result and developed a technology (it sounds too loud, of course, but oh well), which provides for three options for maximum use of this organic matter.

At the same time, my work went so successfully that I was forced to organize in the garden. .. additional lawn: there is not enough grass! Just think, I used to clutch my head because it grew wildly everywhere, but now I’ve taken up the task of breeding it. I will also add that I only mow with a trimmer with a nylon line: in this case, the grass is “automatically” chopped, which is necessary for the greatest efficiency of its use. During the spring-summer period I carry out three mowings, and each of them has its own role.

OPTION 1. LAWN GRASS AS A HEAT GENERATOR

The greenhouses in my garden are arranged like this: on the outside there is a light frame on which I stretch plastic film, on the inside there are high beds-boxes. Convenient and practical. But this design has one drawback: when return frosts occur in late spring, plantings in such shelters may die due to a sharp drop in temperature. In the old days, to protect plants, cast iron pots with hot coals were placed under shelters; today, gardeners pull extension cords there and connect electric heaters. Some people throw old blankets and other rags over the film. I tried all this and didn’t like it.

Can you guess what you liked? Yes, yes, it is much better to use dried grass as biofuel. To do this, at the ends of the greenhouses opposite from the entrance, I have pits 1x1 m in size and 50 cm deep (photo.1). I fill them with grass from the first mowing, compact them, and water them with warm water.

The grass begins to rot so intensely that the temperature in the pit often reaches 60°1. This is quite enough for the temperature in the greenhouse at night to be 5-8° higher than outside.

Under such conditions there is no need to be afraid of frost. Let’s say, in 2014, such a heat generator helped me preserve cucumbers and tomatoes when, in mid-June, the thermometer suddenly showed -3°. The greenhouse residents didn’t even notice this, and those who grew in open beds died. I should also note that the same cucumbers and tomatoes grow and develop much better in such a constantly heated greenhouse. Over the summer, autumn and winter, the grass in the pits decomposes and becomes compost, which next year, during spring digging, I add to the greenhouse ridges, and fill the pits with new “fuel”.

OPTION 2. “SOCKS” FOR VEGETABLES

I hill up popular crops such as cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes for improved root formation. But this procedure, while having a beneficial effect on plant growth, increases the area of ​​the beds, which promotes the rate of evaporation of precious moisture from the soil and creates “reservations” for weeds. But!

By the time it is time to hill up, the grass on the lawn has time to grow back. And then I make a second mowing, dry it and lay it between the ridges obtained during hilling in such a way as to completely fill all the recesses (photo 2). I water the beds abundantly beforehand.

A layer of mulch inhibits the growth of weeds (so much so that I completely eliminate the need for weeding), the soil remains moist and even in extreme heat it practically does not heat up, which helps improve the growth of vegetables. And I always pick cucumbers clean: they are not soiled with soil even after rainstorms.

In the fall, after harvesting the tops, I level the ridges, covering the grass in the depressions with soil, which decomposes and turns into compost over the winter. Organic matter from the decomposition of the grass mass provides food for earthworms that loosen the soil. The soil becomes looser, saturated with air, and its moisture capacity increases.