"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
"mw80" wrote in message

A quick question. I am in my first year of owning an allotment and i am
currently planting out my first plants....

I have read about the benefits of mulching (weed suppresent, moisture
retainer etc). I was wondering which plants should i apply mulch around
and what should this mulch consist of? I live in the UK and i hope to
grow all types of different veg this year including beans, brassicas,
root veg, various salad leaves. Most of the plot is open but i also
have two large raised beds

It might sound daft but if i apply mulch won't this restrict what i can
plant or can i just plant through it?

You can mulch around everything, but there are a few things to consider.
For very tiny seedlings, I use rice hulls which is the husk of the rice
grain so is very tiny and I scatter it thinly until the seedlings get to a
decent size and can take a more robust mulch. For things like corn (do
you call that maize in the UK? - anyway, the plant that gets over 2 metres
and grows cobs of corn) I use very robust mulch (hay/straw/old leaves -
whatever is to hand and sometimes have it as thick as 30 cm. Some plants
don't like mulch right up to their stems but things like tomatoes and corn
thrive on it and actually grow more roots out into the mulch if conditions
are right.

Also mulch any fallow beds to prevent weeds and to feed your worm
population and then when you need to plant, just scrape the mulch back
with your hand and you'll probalby find that the soil is so friable you
won't need to do anything other than to loosen the soil with a hand fork.

for fallow gardens I use plant residue. Example, corn stalks once harvested
or sweet potato or broccoli. Harvest and then spread rest of plant across
the garden. I also use old coffee grounds several inchs thick on beds lying
fallow over winter. You can mulch a garden bed and put transplants direct
through the mulch or with larger seeds (eg corn0 I have seen people plant
them into a handful of fine compost nestled into the mulch (hay/straw).

rob