Frugal gardening?

[AAK]

Looking for cheap ways to mulch my strawberries. The weeds are crazy in this area, and I don't have enough time to keep pulling them (well, and the rest of the garden too).

The strawberry patch is new this year and I really want it to thrive.

Any other frugal gardening tips would be great too!

Amy

[karne]

I don't know how this would be for strawberries, but sometimes horse owners have more composted manure than they can use and will give it away or sell it very cheaply. You could always advertise for what you're looking for on CL.

[A&A]

grass clippings, if you haven't sprayed chemicals on the grass.

[HeatherAtHome]

Look around for a source of straw or hay (make sure it's seedless).

Use dried leaves that have been raked up from last year. (I saved some to use in the garden)

This is our first year in our house and I'm taming the overgrown backyard. There was 7 years worth of grass that had died down in the backyard and just sat there, new grass grew up through it. (used to be a lawn but was looking more field like). I raked it all up this spring and it made a giant pile. Supposed to be seedless, dead grass. I'm going to try using it as mulch.

You can also use sawdust which works great around strawberry plants seeing it lies flatter and is easy to sprinkle around. Make sure it's a clean, chemical free source.

Actually, what I plan on trying with my tomato plants this year is a couple layers of wet newspaper and a thick layer of dried grass laid on top of it. Just rip holes in newspaper to plant. I got the idea from a gardening book. Hope it works!

[eirual]

Last summer I laid down cardboard (and/or newspaper/ripped up telephone book) then put wood chips from branches and vines we mulched on top. It's worked quite well. To keep it even cheaper you could do just the leaves, or wet the soil, wet the newspaper, wet the leaves (over the winter and in a black garbage bag is supposed to be really good) and call 'er done.

[HeatherAtHome]

I've been reading my gardening book this morning and just noticed it said pine needles are good to use around potatoes, strawberries and raspberries. Pine needles are slightly acidic but I guess it works for these crops.

[AAK]

Thanks for all the idea. Usually, for the month before we plant, we lay down black plastic. The sun heats it up and kills all weed seeds under it. For some reason, we didn't do this to the strawberry bed. Now, it would be a pita because of all the plants. But, I like a lot of the ideas mentioned. I will be giving them a try.

Thanks,

Amy

[sunanthem]

I second pine needles! Strawberries love them, and strawberries are the main thing I grow since they are so low maintinance.

[sunnysandiegan]

Some friends of ours use crushed egg shells. Works wonderfully and keeps the fruit off the ground, which prevents rotting.

[ewp11100]

Originally Posted by HeatherAtHome

I've been reading my gardening book this morning and just noticed it said pine needles are good to use around potatoes, strawberries and raspberries. Pine needles are slightly acidic but I guess it works for these crops.

Yup we mulched our raspberries and strawberries with pine needles and they are super happy!

[AAK]

So, do the pine needles help with weed control?

amy

[Tizzy]

newspaper.

I prefer straw but if you don't already have it, newspaper works fine.

[ewp11100]

Originally Posted by AAK

So, do the pine needles help with weed control?

amy

yup otherwise i wouldn't have suggested it

[Knittin' in the Shade]

Not sure if this will help since the plants are already in, but in our back garden we've developed a system that results in ZERO weeds we lay down newspaper (recycled from the in-laws, who get the paper delivered) over the whole bed. Two layers; then spray it down very well with the hose. Then, over that, we lay out burlap coffee bags (gotten for free from a local coffeehouse) that have been cut open so they lay flat. Then we cut holes in the burlap where we'll put the plants in. The burlap is great at letting moisture in, and the weeds out!

[AAK]

Originally Posted by Knittin' in the Shade

Not sure if this will help since the plants are already in, but in our back garden we've developed a system that results in ZERO weeds we lay down newspaper (recycled from the in-laws, who get the paper delivered) over the whole bed. Two layers; then spray it down very well with the hose. Then, over that, we lay out burlap coffee bags (gotten for free from a local coffeehouse) that have been cut open so they lay flat. Then we cut holes in the burlap where we'll put the plants in. The burlap is great at letting moisture in, and the weeds out!

I am keeping this idea for next year. Thanks!

Amy