“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. :)
Thanks, will do.
Thanks for the reminder about the tomatoes.
The problem is.... rain.
Can’t control Mother Nature.
Tomatoes don’t like wet leaves, but they *really* don’t like splashed leaves. After they get tall enough, any leaves below a foot from the ground need to be gone. Like you said, any mulch which clumps enough to shed the water is a problem, but as long as you don’t get large mats, I’ve found leaves to be fine - and even better if they’ve been run over by the lawnmower a few times.
For us with the frequent rains and heavy dews, you can add roots in water 3" down. Not good. Only my potted plants are doing well. Maybe I should have built raised beds, but God knows how I'd afford the good draining soil. Go dig sand over at the river, if I can get away with it, maybe.