Why mulch?

There are so many reason that we need to mulch our gardens.  It can conserve water foremost, a good two inches or more can save on the need for watering. Especially in areas where there is not much rain. It also is a good weed barrier.   I don't know about you, but hoeing and weeding is the least of my gardening favorites.  The less is better.  Also is is such a good soil amendment.  It will break down over time and add valuable vitamins and nutrients.  Our 4-H club just did a little work cleaning up the community center where we hold our meetings.  We took home some of the straw and today we spent the day putting it around the tomatoes.  You can use a variety of things for mulch.  You can use pine straw and leaves, to bark and wood chips and even shavings.  Also we have used the hay that we have cleaned out of the stall at the barn before in the garden.  You want to use things that cost little to nothing.  I wouldn't suggest buying straw bales to use.  That can get expensive, unless you have used them as bedding first at the barn.  Remember barn stuff also has the added factor of having some manure in it and that is a good amendment for your soil.

The boys hard at work.  They are blessing to me for sure.

 Homestead tomato.

 There is nothing like a drink of cool well water from a hose after all that work.

We planted a few different varieties of tomatoes this year.  We planted, Homestead, Roma, Arkansas Traveler, and a Cherokee Purple.  All of these are an heirloom variety.  We tried to do more heirloom plantings this year. 
God Bless ya,
Tara