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Hit 200 bags of mulch in one season, but my soil test says otherwise
So I spread 200 bags of black mulch across my backyard beds this spring, figured I was doing everything right, then my soil test came back showing a pH of 5.1 and almost no organic matter. Mulch adds structure but it doesn't feed the soil the way compost does, and now I'm wondering if I wasted all that time and money just to make things look pretty. My neighbor swears by wood chips for everything, but my buddy who gardens in Ohio says compost is the only thing that matters. Has anyone else hit a big project milestone only to realize it didn't actually fix the underlying problem?
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ryan_shah381mo ago
Stop assuming pretty mulch does nothing, 200 bags still hold moisture and stop erosion, which your test never measured.
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karen_sanchez491mo ago
mulch saved my backyard slope last spring, so I get what youre saying, but you gotta measure the soil after a hard rain not just look at the pretty layer on top. if it stays soggy underneath, that moisture is doing more harm than good for the roots.
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