How to Prepare a Mulch Bed
Mulch beds are created through a process called "sheet" mulching or composting. Organic material is layered, lasagna-style, so that it breaks down into a nutrient-rich mulch that helps ensure healthy plant growth. The mulch bed has better soil quality than the unmulched soil beneath its organic layers, and it also provides better drainage and higher nutrient content to the plants that will be cultivated in it. While a mulch bed takes some time to construct, it is a less labor-intensive job than clearing a new gardening site and preparing the soil with double-digging and other traditional garden bed methods. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Hoe
- Coffee grounds or grass clippings
- Newspaper
- Dead leaves, straw or compost
Instructions
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1
Chop down existing plants and weeds in the garden site, using the blade of a hoe. Leave the plant material in the mulch bed. Remove any woody material, such as shrubs and tree branches, as these don't break down quickly.
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2
Spread a 1-inch layer of coffee grounds or grass clippings over the bed. Water immediately, thoroughly wetting the area.
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3
Cover the bed with sheets of newspaper, laying them in layers that are 10 sheets thick. Overlap the edges of the newspaper so that the bed is completely covered. Water a second time, thoroughly wetting the area.
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4
Apply a second 1-inch layer of grass clippings or coffee grounds on top of the newspaper. Top this with a 2- to 3-inch layer of dead leaves, chopped straw or compost over the mulch bed.
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5
Water the mulch bed often enough so that it remains moist but not soggy. Plant into the mulch bed immediately or wait until the mulch layer breaks down to a soil-like consistency, which can take three months or longer.
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Tips & Warnings
Weeds are rarely a problem in new mulch beds as the weed seeds are buried too deep under the mulch to germinate. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of wood chip mulch after planting to prevent any new weed seeds from germinating in the bed.
