Transcript Sheet Mulching…No Till Gardening

Sheet Mulching…No Till Vegetable Gardening
Plants need nutrients in the soil to grow. Amending or building up your garden’s soil is an important garden task.
Following the guidelines on this page will help build soil in the garden and eliminate the need to till, which destroys soil
structure and leads to deterioration in the garden.
Benefits
•Uses simple materials
• Reduces maintenance costs
• Increases water retention in the soil. prevents
erosion and improves soil
• Creates a healthier garden that earthworms love
• A process of construction not destruction
• Mimics nature’s soil-building process
• Works in flower gardens and around trees
How To:
• Mark the area for the garden (and paths).
• Prepare the site. Knock down, scythe, stomp or mow existing vegetation to make
area level.
• Layer enriched compost like poultry or stock manure, or worm castings about 2 to
3” thick (not necessary for path areas).
• Put down the weed barrier layer of cardboard, newspaper (at least ten sheets thick
and no color or glossy pages), burlap bags, old rugs of natural fiber, worn-out jeans,
gypsum board, shredded white or whatever you can find around. Overlap the barrier
even on to pathways to secure the suppression of weeds. Wet with a hose to help
keep it in place and facilitate decomposition.
• Layer (weed free) well conditioned compost, grass clippings, seaweed or leaves
about 3” thick (not necessary for path areas). Water.
• Apply (weed free) chopped up leaves, straw, untreated wood chips, mulch, sawdust,
bark, etc. about 3 to 5” deep. This will eventually compost down providing nutrients
for the future. Water.
• If you plan to garden immediately, a layer of topsoil helps especially if planting
seeds.
• Transplant vegetable plants right into the to top layer.
• Keep mulching by adding grass clippings, leaves or straw through-out the season.
• In the Fall when crops die, heap on more layers…you’ll never have to till again.
Compiled and written by Tracie Hellwinckel. For more information and gardening articles go to http://knoxvillepermacultureguild.ning.com/profile/traciehellwinckel