Weeds? No problem! Except where germinating seeds, the mulch layer
is thick enough to prevent weed seeds from sprouting. Should a weed
begin showing through the mulch, this is taken as an indication that
spot has become too thinly covered and a flake of spoiled hay or
other vegetation is tossed on the unwanted plant, smothering it.
Oh, how easy it seems! Pick a garden site. If you have a year to
wait before starting your garden do not even bother to till first.
Cover it a foot deep with combinations of spoiled hay, leaves, grass
clippings, and straw. Woody wastes are not suitable because they
won't rot fast enough to feed the soil. Kitchen garbage and manures
can also be tossed on the earth and, for a sense of tidiness,
covered with hay. The mulch smothers the grass or weeds growing
there and the site begins to soften. Next year it will be ready to
grow vegetables.
If the plot is very infertile to begin with there won't be enough
biological activity or nutrients in the soil to rapidly decompose
the mulch. In that case, to accelerate the process, before first
putting down mulch till in an initial manure layer or a heavy
sprinkling of seed meal. Forever after, mulching materials alone
will be sufficient. Never again till. Never again weed. Never again
fertilize. No compost piles to make, turn, and haul. Just keep your
eye open for spoiled hay and buy a few inexpensive tons of it each
year.
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