CHAPTER VII 
Mutcuinc, RENOVATING THE Otp Bep 
IN GARDENING parlance “to mulch” means 
to cover the surface of the soil with any 
material, such as leaves, loose earth, hay 
or straw, so as to protect the roots of the 
plants from frost, loss of water by evapora- 
tion or weed growth, etc. As used in the 
sense of mulching strawberries, it will mean 
the covering of the plants with organic matter, 
such as dead vines, hay, straw, leaves, etc., in 
the fall for winter and early spring protection. 
MATERIAL USED FOR MULCHING 
There is a great variety of materials 
used for mulching. Nature’s mulch is the 
débris of fallen leaves, grass, and other litter. 
In the grain-growing sections, wheat, barley, 
or oat straw is used quite extensively; near 
marsh land, either salt or fresh, the coarse 
hay taken from these places is used. 
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