. Florists' review [microform]. Floriculture. 16 The Florists^ Review ?>^,; DnCBMBKR 26, cmN U^Xm^y^ READED6 MULCHING. Nearly all directions for using mulch for the protection of outdoor plants say not to put on the mulch until the ground is frozen solid. From our experience here, however, we take exception to the rule. In the severe climate of Idaho, with an altitude of 4,200 feet, we find most of the winter-killing is done by the dry zero winds. Neither windbreaks nor irrigating water would be consid- ered as mulch, but both are extensively used here to prevent winter-killing. It h
. Florists' review [microform]. Floriculture. 16 The Florists^ Review ?>^,; DnCBMBKR 26, cmN U^Xm^y^ READED6 MULCHING. Nearly all directions for using mulch for the protection of outdoor plants say not to put on the mulch until the ground is frozen solid. From our experience here, however, we take exception to the rule. In the severe climate of Idaho, with an altitude of 4,200 feet, we find most of the winter-killing is done by the dry zero winds. Neither windbreaks nor irrigating water would be consid- ered as mulch, but both are extensively used here to prevent winter-killing. It has often been proved that plants well wet before winter sets in are less apt to be killed than those left dry. Mulch- ing with brush or cornstalks, or even a wire fence, answers the same purpose in that it collects the snow which other- wise blows off. We mulch lettuce and spinach with coarse material, which has the threefold advantage of partial shade, holding moisture and breaking the wind. We use manure mulch in our hotbed frames to prevent the ground freezing up and, for the same purpose, we spread it on ground we wish to sow early sweet peas on. We mulch our roses as soon as the fall frosts have checked the growth and find it more advantageous than to leave them until winter, as others do, only to find them already winter-killed. The great difficulty with mulching strawberries, as well as some perennials, is the presence of the straw in the irri- gating rills next spring. To avoid this, we use either fine manure or poultry manure and try to force a heavy growth during the fall, so that the plants will supply their own protection. Everyone who does any gardening knows the advantages of the dust mulch. The phrase originated with the orchard- ists who perfected implements to main- tain it in their orchards. It is simply cultivation brought down to a fine point and is beneficial whether the area to be cultivated is a 4-inch pot, a flower garden or a 40-acre orchard. H. C. Bate
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecad, booksubjectfloriculture, bookyear1912
