What to do...when the rains tease so sweetly? Mulching seems appropriate. Scott's garden nears its completed phase, and to prevent all those newly added amendments from leaching out of the freshly worked soil, a layer of straw is placed around transplants on all bare earth. As of right now, the starts are just that, starting life, and oh so small and fragile. Until more reliable weather arrives they will put on only moderate growth. Before a canopy of growing green leaves and (the inevitable) weeds do their part to cover the earth, a mulch (leaves, straw, compost, etc.) helps protect from minerals leaching and compaction brought on by falling rain. Unsightly, probably. Utilitarian, most definitely. Once the garden is more established the mulch can be removed and composted, or left on to reduce evaporation of the soil water. It should be kept in mind, however, that certain garden pests might find a moist bed of mulch the most inviting of homes and perfect for executing late-night binges on your veggies. Tough call.
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