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Some of the calls that have been forwarded to me are asking about mulching. Some gardeners are already finished with their fall harvest and now it's time to get back to weeding. It's amazing how the weeds are back after just a couple of weeks of doing something else. If you are lucky enough to rid the area of weeds, you may want to put something down to keep the area clean.

Terry Yockey is a Red Wing-based garden writer. She had an excellent article on organic mulching. Both organic and fabric mulch will smother weeds, conserve moisture, and shade your plants roots from the hot sun, but organic mulch will improve aeration of the soil as it decomposes.

Several layers of dampened newspaper will decompose right along with the mulch and help improve your soil. With fabric, the mulch will decompose on the top and become a lovely place for wind-blown weed seeds to take hold, so you end up weeding anyway.

Several good organic mulches are available.

One of the best to use around shrubs and trees is shredded bark or bark chips. Bark lasts longer than shredded hardwood, because it contains natural waxes that shed water. Shredded cedar or shredded cypress mulches are also good choices for your landscape. They are aromatic, rot-resistant, and hold their color well.

In the last few years, mulch made from shredded wood pallets has become the wood mulch of choice. Recycled wood mulch comes in a variety of dyed colors that don't fade, and because it is made from recycled hardwoods, it lasts longer than other shredded wood mulches.

Budget-minded gardeners might try to find a tree service that will deliver its day's harvest of ground-up trees. You may find long sticks and matted leaves in the delivery. A problem with freshly shredded trees can be sour chips. These are chips that have started to decompose without enough oxygen. Acetic acid is produced which could harm your plants. If this does occur, spread the chips out in a single layer and let them dry completely before you use the mulch.

Pine needles or pine straw make attractive and long-lasting mulch that adds a natural woodland feel to the landscape. Pine straw doesn't mat and lasts a long time. It will not add much acidity to your soil, but will help to maintain an already established acid ph.

Straw, grass clippings, compost, and shredded leaves are all good organic mulches, but are best used in vegetable beds where appearance isn't a priority.

There is some dissatisfaction with cocoa bean hulls. They almost always end up with unsightly mold. It's also expensive, blows away if too dry, and some people say it has an overpowering chocolate smell.

Yockey says that the best mulch of all is called living mulch which is ground cover. If you have Siberian Elms or Box Elder trees, you will find their seeds all over your yard or garden in the spring. She planted shallow ground cover such as small sedums in the sun and golden moneywort in the shaded areas. She found that the tree seeds lie on top of the ground cover and never germinate. The only maintenance in the perennial gardens is a yearly pulling in the spring if the mulch has gotten to aggressive.

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There are two classes remaining in the fall series. Both are at the Senior Center in North Branch at 6:30 p.m. Call the office at 651-674-4417 for more info.

Oct. 17––“Buckthorn ID and Control,” Joan Chouinard, Chisago County Master Gardener

Buckthorn, once planted as an ornamental shrub, has become a serious invasive species in many areas. Chouinard has been working to control buckthorn for several years now. Fall is the perfect time to ID and eradicate buckthorn on your property.

Oct. 24––“Caring for Holiday Plants,” Donna Tatting, Chisago County Mater Gardener

Poinsettias, Christmas cactus, Amaryllis and other plants are great gifts to give and receive at the holidays. But what do we do with them afterwards? Learn how easy it can be to keep these plants healthy and blooming long after the holidays are over. We'll also learn a little about the legends and traditions of these holiday plants.

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You can leave a question for a volunteer Master Gardener at 651-674-4417. Depending on the volume of calls, they try to respond within a couple of days. During office hours ask for the Master Gardener voicemail, after hours, select ext. 18. You can also get your question answered on the web at: www.extension.umn. edu/askmg.

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