I started my tomatoes from seed in March, as usual. @May 15 they go in the ground when night time temps don’t go too low. I need mulch to keep the weeds down and didn’t want to buy several bales of $11/bale straw. So I used last falls leaves I had composting.I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad. I used semi=wet leaves for mulch and then topped it off with one bale spread out over the lot of them. If I’ve used leaves in the past for mulch, I don’t remember it because my memory ain’t all that.
Pioneer Woman’s two ways to make creamed spinach.
1. sauté spinach, then pour in h/cream to have creamed spinach fast.
2. a simple white sauce fine-diced onions/garlic, plenty of butter; one of the best recipes of all time.
Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 3 tb butter, divided
8 Tbsp. flour
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups milk
24 oz. baby spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch ground nutmeg
Directions
Melt 1/2 cup butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk. Cook on med til light golden brown, about 5 min. stir in onion and garlic, cook a min. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook 5 min. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add the spinach in increments until all is incorporated, and cook until wilted but not soggy, 4-5 min, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add spinach, stir gently/combine. Serve immediately.
“If I’ve used leaves in the past for mulch, I don’t remember it because my memory ain’t all that.”
Write yourself a note, LOL! Check that layer of matted leaves. If they’re not breaking down, they’re NOT doing you any favors. Matted leaves, much like lawn clippings, tend to ‘clump’ and then water and fertilizers can’t get down to the roots of your tomato plants.
Don’t panic! Just pull back the straw and check it out to see if the leaves are composting/breaking down some.
If not, your solution would be to water/fertilize your tomato plants right at the BASE of the plant so they at least get a little something from above. No overhead watering for tomatoes. They HATE that. Wet leaves = disease.
This has been a Public Service Announcement. :)
Leaves are fine as mulch, as long as they don’t form mats which repel water. (And aren’t walnut). Generally if they are scrunched or chopped up leaves are fine as mulch.