Q/A #4 What Is Your Favorite Type Of Garden Mulch?

[@cathykimler6191]

My husband and I miss your videos. Hope you well! God Bless

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Hi Kathy, thank you for your concern, my wife and I are doing very well and we are very busy having fun with our six grandchildren. ❤️

[@seymourbirkhoff9297]

@@PlantSmartLivingNOWI just discovered your channel a month ago as I needed quick KZbin learning/reference for this season's growing (did well!) and am glad to hear all is well!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

@seymourbirkhoff9297 my wife and I are doing very well. Thanks, glad you are enjoying the channel and I hope you have a bountiful garden season! 😊

[@shellglow9679]

I miss your videos! I hope you are doing well

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

My wife and I are doing very well, spending a lot of time with my six grandchildren. Thanks for stopping by and sharing!

[@crown_tee17]

Farmer Fred! I just found your channel! & I hope you come back soon! I need guidance on my new Hungarian wax pepper plant!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you for stopping by and sharing and I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@tomwalkingstick5395]

Just found your channel. Please make a new video!!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Hi Tom thanks for stopping by and sharing I am still actively answering garden questions if you have any, I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@PatC.]

Your videos are always so good. I'm glad you are back.

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you so much!

[@PatC.]

@@PlantSmartLivingNOW Well, you were missed!

[@aniaem02]

Great video. Such a humble man.

[@megana1221]

I really appreciate your content! Great job!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you and glad you are enjoying the videos!

[@jimchristensen965]

Good to see ya back on KZbin. I like pine needles(White Pine) and Oak Leaves as they are plentiful on my property, free and because they both are a great mulches. Thanks!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

You’re welcome Jim, thanks for your kind words and thanks for sharing your garden information and I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@brittanimscott]

Im so glad your back!! Your videos are much appreciated!💚🥰

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you so much!!

[@jg2086]

Thanks! I just found this channel and i am learning so much! (I love the harvest videos)

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

You’re welcome and I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@danslaboratory6180]

Hi there, what happened to Fred's videos? I hope that you are well... I love your videos

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

I’m glad that you are enjoying the videos, my wife and I are doing very well, spending a lot of time with my six grandchildren!

[@danslaboratory6180]

@@PlantSmartLivingNOW So glad to hear that!!! I realized that you hadn't posted in a long while. Thanks for all the great videos!

[@greenapplemusicgarden8723]

Very nice, big like, have a good weekend!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you and you as well!

[@robertjacobs861]

Thank you so much. Even though I’m not in 2020 anymore, your videos are still a place of peace and tranquility. We live in Utah now (although most of our relatives are in the mid-Atlantic ( either PA, MD, or VA), so our main concern is watering. We don’t have as many pests, but my east coast relatives deal with pests like Japanese beetles. How do you handle various pests? You are a blessing! Louise Jacobs

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Hi Louise, thank you for your kind words, I grow a lot of my plants under row covers so I don’t have as much of a pest problem in my garden, I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@Sheenasalesthriftytreasures]

Great information thank you

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

You’re welcome and thank you for stopping by and sharing!

[@BuddhaofDestinyNamaste]

hey hey my friend hope your staying safe and blessed. Namaste

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

My wife and I and Bailey are doing very well , thanks for stopping by and sharing!

[@beverlyshelton5635]

Great info ! Love your little puppy!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you Beverly!

[@valchris11]

Happy 66 th 💓. I love using pine mulch, I order it from a Nursery. I am in fl zone 9b, sandy soil I have to use lots of compost and wormcasting. This mulch holds the moisture, but am always willing to try anything that's better. Thanks for the video 📹😀

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

You’re welcome and thank you for stopping by and sharing your Garden information and I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@johnward5577]

I use leaver and lawn clippings. It breaks down and improves soil. I turn it under end of season. My soil was a lot of clay. Improved a lot oner the years using this process. Also it brought worms to my garden

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thanks John for sharing your garden information and I hope you have a bountiful garden season!

[@ricski64]

I used a soil thermometer before adding mulch today. Bare soil was 90 degrees 2 1/2 inches down. Added a layer of dry grass clippings on top of newspaper and retested 4 hrs later. Still full sun and the temp went down to 75. Quite a difference mulching makes. That’ll help retain a lot of moisture !

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thanks for sharing your garden information!

[@LillyR539]

I will try that bedding .... Love your place so beautiful that rake is great too gonna have to get one

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you Lilly!

[@lindawhite7344]

Miss seeing your channel.....will you be starting again soon ?

[@angelaburnett7979]

Love the mulch info 😊

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you Angela!

[@lynnlovessoil]

Do you know if the straw is treated with a herbicide?

[@OSGCourtWatch]

Any issues with seeds in this shredded bedding or does that process truly eliminate the seeds (used regular straw 3 years ago and STILL get some grass popping up...)?

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

I have not experienced any grass popping up in my garden beds using the shredded mulch!

[@OSGCourtWatch]

@@PlantSmartLivingNOW thx!

[@HeadWestOn90]

We had huge storm damage, so many trees came down and were chipped. So I'm using the free wood chips made from my own trees for now.

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Sounds like a good idea, thanks for stopping by and sharing!

[@Taai02]

I have been using mulched leaves. It’s free to me because my neighbor has a huge pile that he is sharing with me 😃. It’s amazing how it brings in the worms and keeps the soil cool and moist! I have a question that might be good in the fall. I was wondering how you keep and store all your veggies for over the winter?

[@mapofthesoultagme7143]

How can I prevent straw and grass mulch from being mixed into the soil, especially if I am pulling out a plant or have to mix things into the soil? Also, how can I remove mulch if I want to grow cover crops in that patch?

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

I don’t think it would hurt if some of the grass or straw did get mixed into the soil, I would use a leaf rake if you wanted to remove the mulch from your garden.

[@stephenmoberg8807]

Leaf mold - feeds with every watering

[@reverendred12]

Hey Farmer Fred! Who do you use for soil testing locally? I'm in Souderton and I can't get a hold of the PSU extension in Collegeville. Anyone you recommend? Thanks!

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

I Phil, the last time I had my soil tested which was about five years ago I used Harleysville feed. harleysvillefeed.com/

[@wildedibles819]

Mulch love I use pine shavings and bunny poo :) My bunny bedding works great

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your garden information!

[@wildedibles819]

@@PlantSmartLivingNOW your welcome much love xoxox

[@SimplyGarden]

Do you find that using mulch helps with having to add less nutrition throughout the season?

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

I haven’t noticed any difference, I still amend my soil with additional nutrition throughout the garden season.

[@Ben-jq2wv]

papa your video was so good Like

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thanks Ben, for stopping by and sharing your kind words! ❤️

[@blessedmommad7736]

Everything I’ve used over the years draws ants!!! Thousands & billions of ants😩 so frustrating!!

[@knipettepink]

Hi Farmer Fred, I wasn't sure where to leave a question so I thought your most recent video would be best. I live in Phoenix Arizona, zone 10a. I watched your videos on protecting against pests. I've always waiting for the pest to come to start combatting. Being pro-active is such a good idea. Not to say that I'm not pro-active in other parts of my life but never thought of it in gardening. Thank you. I love the idea of covering the plants but wanted to know what you do for your tomatoes on the cattle panels. Do you cover these also?

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Thanks for stopping by and sharing, the only plants that I cover are my broccoli, kale, and red beets. it’s not recommended to cover your tomato plants because the pollinators need to be able to get to the plant. I mainly cover my brassica plants so that the cabbage butterfly does not lay eggs on it and the looper worm destroy my plants.

[@knipettepink]

@@PlantSmartLivingNOW Thank you for that information. I understand now. Do you do anything for your tomatoes to keep them from getting ahids, moths etc?

[@PlantSmartLivingNOW]

Here in PA zone six I don’t seem to have a problem with aphids or moths on my tomatoes.

[@nightowl9176]

I love your gardening channel. Such load of great information presented in wonderful, warm, enthusiastic way. Please, keep on sharing your knowledge and experience. I also do have a question; would you consider making a video on how to grow blueberries in containers? I live in the city and have a city size lot: not too big, full of tree roots and partly shaded. Therefore, the most I can do is container gardening for tomatoes, herbs, peppers, eggplants. And this year, I've decided to try my luck in growing blueberries in large half-whisky wooden barrels. Thank you so much and God Bless.