Hey, Ive decided to make a mulch for my future outdoor plants in March 2013. What I could use are Bark Leaf mold (dried leaves in fall) Green leaves/stems Pine needles Seaweed I was thinking of putting them in a hole,mixing them up and giving them a couple of months to decompose before I have to use them. 1. Should I mix them in any ratio? Like could a lot of seaweed harm my plants in any way. 2.When I apply the mulch, should I spread it it evenly deep across the outdoor plant's soil or just have it in the first 3 inches? Thanks!
Except for bark since it takes a long time to break down and uses up a lot of nitrogen, the remaining matter will work great for mulch. Is the seaweed derived from the ocean? If so, I haven't used it as a mulch and I would suggest you Google a gardening web site to see if people use it around plants. My only caution would be residual salt residue. I have used aquatic plants from freshwater lakes and ponds (also called seaweed) that works really well. You have the right idea to let it decompose for several months before applying it. Good compost is created by turning over the matter with a pitch fork or spade and adding water every week or so. No real ratio is necessary, but ideally, you want an equal amount of green and brown matter. Keep it simple, add whatever you have including discarded fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, plant trimmings, and grass clippings. Compost can be incorporated into the soil or applied as a top dressing. Good luck and smell ya later.