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Homegrown Mulch
- PBMG
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Emmy Ulmschneider, Permian Basin Master Gardener
In a native landscape, winter is important, and one of winter’s last gifts for spring growth is the organic material left on the ground. I am slow to take down my native beds because I often find my garden invertebrates using the dead organic material for shelter. In addition, we often experience cold snaps in April, and life sometimes gets in the way of garden chores. As spring temperatures become consistent, I am ready to “chop and drop” using my spent winter organic material as mulch for the summer instead of consigning it to the dumpster. On the soil, this organic material can supply nutrients lost to last year’s growth: No need to “waste” this material. Mimicking nature and keeping this organic material on-site reduces waste and replenishes the nutrients needed and appropriate. It also means less money spent on buying mulch or compost that may or may not replace the lost nutrients. This version of a closed-loop ecosystem, where garden resources are reused rather than discarded, is not new; what is new is encouraging homeowners to make their urban landscapes part of the loop.
How do we know that this method works? Sunflowers are grown as a crop and as a cover crop, so there is a lot of information on their nutrient levels and how they enhance soil fertility. Sunflowers are not legumes, so they do not fix or capture nitrogen from the air. But their deep root systems can reach and use nitrogen deep in the soil or recycle nitrogen left behind by the decomposition of other plant material. Sunflower stems are rich in Potassium (K), which is taken up before flowering. Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) are distributed more evenly throughout the roots, leaves, and stems. In nature, alive or dead, the whole plant contributes to soil fertility. In addition, as sunflowers grow, their deep roots break up compacted soil, and as they decompose, the organic matter they leave behind is available to other plant root systems. The best and easiest way for us to release all these valuable plant nutrients is to add the stems and other plant material back to the soil: Chop and drop!
I see the dried spent stems of the native plants I grow as a rich source of organic materials ready to nourish and support the next generation. I leave some plants with larger stems, such as sunflowers and frostweed, where they fall so that any remaining seeds can be eaten by small birds. I cut the remaining large stem plants, bundle them together, and leave them as shelter against winter winds. When I cut them, I leave about 12” of the stem above the ground. These stems will hollow and provide winter shelter or nesting habitat for native bees. In the spring, I gather up all the spent stems, lay them across a large trug, and with loopers chop them up into 4 to 6” pieces. I can then easily place my homegrown mulch directly where it is needed the most. The stems of small native plants like Gregg’s Blue Mistflower, Conoclinium greggii or Fall Aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, can be easily broken by hand into smaller 3 to 4” pieces and left right on the soil surface. As I prune back the old growth from my tall ornamental grasses, such as Lindheimer’s Muhly, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, I leave the plant material directly on the ground.
Invariably, as I finish and look around, I am refreshed as a new vista of color and form emerges from the monotone brown of winter.
If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700. Additional information, and our blog for access to past articles, is available at westtexasgardening.org. Click on “Resources.
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