On Tue, 27 May 2008 12:06:33 -0500, TomC wrote:

:2-3" layer around the plants; enough to keep weeds out and moisture in.
:Leave about 2" open around the plant stems so they don't rot and bugs
:won't have a place to hide and eat away at the stems.

I lost one tomato plant this year due to something(s) eating away at the
stem and had to go buy a replacement. Don't recall it happening before.
I hadn't mulched yet, either. I used to put collars around the seedlings
to retard such things, but this plant was well along (10-12" high) when
it happened and I was surprised.