i was wonderin if anyone had any suggestions on how to winterize graden mum so the come back next fall all the insert thing said that came with it is to mulch after ground freezes it didnt say what to use
Maybe I'm not understanding, but are you asking what type of mulch to use? If so, whatever you use in your garden should be fine. Of course organic mulches like shredded hardwood are best. Maybe this site will help you. http://www.yoder.com/inside_frameset.asp?body=/consumer/garden/care/content.asp Newt
i have red cider mulch and rocks on top of a plastic sheet to keep the weeds from getting to bad is that ok to use but i was actually thinking about next summer taking the mulch out and replaceing it with some river rocks or something cause the mulch let to many weeds through and we have a problem with stray cats and stuff so the us the mulch for a litter pan. so if i were to take the mulch out what could i use to winterize them.
What these need is good drainage and protection from slugs. The grayish, aromatic foliage like one might see on dry climate plants like wormwoods (Artemisia) is a hint. Severe cold is often not a problem, although this varies with the particular variety - same as with roses.
Babygurl, I think you will find that over time the rocks will be more of a weed haven then an organic mulch. Bits of soil blow in and then the weed seeds take hold. It's more difficult to weed a bed of rocks then to cultivate (stir and turn) the organic mulch. Newt
Mulch should not be cultivated. Roots are likely to grow into it and may be broken or damaged, plus the benefit of it is based on it making an intact layer of different material over the soil. Stirring it up will only disrupt it. Concerns about mulch becoming compacted are not needed, mulch softens soil beneath by keeping it moist whether the mulch has a crust on top (or has become encrusted all the way through) or not. The litter layer on the forest floor in ancient forests here can be quite firm, pounded for perhaps centuries by drip from tall trees. This does not stop it from supporting plant growth at all. Stones make an excellent mulch. For one thing they don't decompose and have to be replaced. Coarse debris, like leaves that may collect around herbaceous plants liking an open position - such as chrysanthemums - and cause problems can still be gathered and removed. It will also blow or fall in and bunch up around the tops of the plants when an organic mulch is used.
With no disrespect meant to Ron, I do not agree with not cultivating the mulch as the compaction can cause water to run off instead of penetrating. As to the rock mulch, do a google and you'll find scores of posts of folks wanting to replace the rocks due to the problems of removing leaves and weeds that have rooted between the stones. Newt
An organic mulch that repels water is too fine in texture - and has been allowed to become quite dry beforehand. This is one of the drawbacks of fine grade bark mulch (and one of the advantages of arborist wood chips and other coarse mulches). However, being an organic material even this absorbs water. When water sheets off it is because the rate of application of the water is too high. Steep slopes where fine bark may sheet off in a storm need to have a different material used for mulch or to have an engineering solution such as a wall to hold the soil. Litter and weeds occur in organic mulches also, the finer they are the more weeds they will support. A fine bark or screened compost mulch may host considerably more weeds than a layer of cobbles or even gravel, particularly if the stones are several inches deep. As with planting groundcover plants a mulched bed needs to be freed of aggressive perennial weeds with creeping rootstocks before planting (or mulching). If this is not done such pests will come up from underneath afterward. Likewise, new ones seeding into the finished planting must be pounced upon before they become large and well-rooted. All plantings require upkeep or the local ecosystem will start to convert them to a thicket or other "mess". Stone mulches are often associated with the use of weed barrier fabrics, in the hope of producing a no-work solution. As N. has pointed out, the eventual failure of this scheme is due to the accumulation of organic material among the stones (and on top of the fabric), producing a substrate that weeds can root into and grow on. What is another example of an decomposed organic layer that can support the growth of weeds? A fine or composted organic mulch.
