hay in garden weeds

Aside from well-aged compost, hay is arguably the best mulch for a vegetable garden. Like straw, it's a good insulator, effective against weeds, and breaks down quickly to enrich the soil. Alfalfa hay is especially good, because as a legume, it provides nitrogen to your soil.

Can I use hay in my garden?

Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you'll get a fantastic yield. To start a garden, with seeds or starters, first create a thick layer of hay, up to eight inches (20 cm.), right over your garden soil.

Should I use hay or straw in my garden?

Straw is the bare stalk remaining after a nutritious seed head, such as barley or wheat has been harvested. ... If your goal is simply to cover the soil, as for paths, then straw is fine. If your goal is to enrich your soil, then the nutritious hay is much better.

How long does it take for hay to decompose?

Some growers will leave the hay out for one full year to be fully saturated and partially decomposed.

Does Straw keep weeds from growing?

Why Straw is Good For Your Garden:

It blocks out the sun, preventing weeds from growing and preventing hidden weed seeds from germinating. It holds in moisture so your soil stays damp longer (this means you won't need to water as often).

Does Hay keep weeds out of garden?

Aside from well-aged compost, hay is arguably the best mulch for a vegetable garden. Like straw, it's a good insulator, effective against weeds, and breaks down quickly to enrich the soil.

Can you till straw into your garden?

Straw can be used as a top cover mulch starting anytime and will help retain moisture and protect soils from rains and wind. Do not mix straw into the garden soil, as it will change the carbon/nitrogen ratio of the soil and throw things out of balance; rather, let it break down on top as a mulch.

How long does it take straw to decompose?

Plastic straws are a major pollution. According to 4Ocean, plastic straws can take up to 200 years to decompose, — way beyond our lifespans! For a one-time use, they last a very long time as most are not biodegradable.

What does straw do for a garden?

Straw on Garden Beds

Like most mulch materials, straw helps conserve soil moisture and prevents rapid soil drying and drought stress. Using straw to kill weeds is also effective, as it suppresses most unwanted plants so they can't grow and establish in the bed.

Does hay make good compost?

Create nutrient-rich compost for your garden from common household leftovers. Dried leaves, hay, straw, sawdust, wood chips, and shrub and tree prunings. Ned Conwell collects his brown matter, but you can also use straw from a feed store.

What can I do with old round hay bales?

There are a host of ways to use spoiled hay in your garden to improve your soil or protect your plants.

Mulch. Spread spoiled hay under your flowers and vegetables as an organic mulch. ...
Soil Amendments. ...
Compost. ...
Make A Garden Bed.

How often should I mix my compost?

How often you should turn compost depends on a number of factors including the size of the pile, the green to brown ratio, and the amount of moisture in the pile. That being said, a good rule of thumb is to turn a compost tumbler every three to four days and the compost pile every three to seven days.

What do you do with old hay bales?

What to do with extra hay:

Bedding & Nesting material for nesting boxes, coops, hutches, and run-ins.
Filler for the pool the pigs built. ...
Seeding. ...
Mulch for yard, around trees, or in pumpkin patches.
Entertainment – chickens and pigs LOVE to scratch, roll and play in fresh hay.

Does vinegar kill weeds permanently?

There is evidence to say that vinegar does kill weeds permanently and can be really effective at keeping your flowers and displays weed-free. From thistle to horsetail, you can use malt, distilled, white vinegar and even apple cider to stop the spread of weeds in your garden.

Does vinegar kill weeds to the root?

Vinegar is good for destroying weed leaves, but it doesn't kill weeds down to the root. As a natural alternative to weed killers, vinegar is typically only effective at killing seedlings that are less than 2 weeks old.

Does baking soda kill weeds?

Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, is an effective way to eliminate weeds by increasing salinity, or salt. When exposed to an overload of salt, weeds cannot survive. ... On patios, walkways and driveways, apply the baking soda by sweeping it into the cracks in which weeds grow.

How do you garden without weeds?

A weed free garden: 9 strategies for reducing weeds

9 strategies for a weed free garden:
1 – Pull weeds as soon as you see them. ...
2 – Never let them to go seed. ...
3 – Mulch mulch mulch for a weed free garden. ...
4 – Check and inspect! ...
5 – Never leave bare soil in the garden. ...
6 – Put cover crops to work. ...
7 – Garden in raised beds (or containers)

Is it OK to put straw around tomato plants?

Straw: Straw makes great mulch for tomatoes. But stay away from hay, as it's full of seeds. Spread a 3-6” layer around tomatoes. Newspaper or Cardboard: Newspaper is best for blocking weeds.

Can you put hay around tomato plants?

Golden straw and wheat straw are good choices. Stay away from feed hay, as this is full of weed seeds. ... layer of straw around your tomatoes, but avoid touching the stems or leaves of plants since this can increase the likelihood of fungal problems.

Should I till my garden every year?

You do not have to till your garden when your soil is covered. Tilling was needed every spring, and some gardeners also tilled in the fall. Mulch is also needed every year, or at least in the first few years. When the garden matures you might be able to skip a year, just see how the soil is.

When should I put straw in my garden?

Straw will compost pretty quickly in most garden settings. Check the depth of the layer in between rows after about six weeks. You'll probably need to add another layer, to the depth of 2 or 3 inches (5-7.5 cm.), to help keep the weeds down and moisture in the soil during the hottest part of summer.

How do you start a straw garden?

For effective straw bale gardening:

Use straw, not hay. Hay is made from alfalfa and grasses that still have the seeds attached, and these seeds will turn into weeds when the germinate and sprout. ...
Locate the garden near a water source. ...
Solarize the bales. ...
Use short plants. ...
Plant in full sun. ...
Avoid pooling water.