{"id":5532,"date":"2013-06-07T21:50:14","date_gmt":"2013-06-07T11:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/?p=5532"},"modified":"2013-07-31T21:28:09","modified_gmt":"2013-07-31T11:28:09","slug":"chop-drop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/chop-drop\/","title":{"rendered":"CHOP &#038; DROP MULCHING"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.entry-title {display:none;}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"image\">\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/chives-parsley-basil-sage-dandelion-milk-thistle-rosemary-mulch.jpg?resize=665%2C499\" alt=\"chives-parsley-basil-sage-dandelion-milk-thistle-rosemary-mulch\" width=\"665\" height=\"499\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/chives-parsley-basil-sage-dandelion-milk-thistle-rosemary-mulch.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/chives-parsley-basil-sage-dandelion-milk-thistle-rosemary-mulch.jpg?resize=660%2C494&amp;ssl=1 660w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/chives-parsley-basil-sage-dandelion-milk-thistle-rosemary-mulch.jpg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"left\">\n<h1><a class=\"white\"; href=\"http:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/chop-drop\/\" title=\"chop-and-drop\">[mm-insert-title]<\/a><\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"white\";>high summer preparation<br \/>\nfree, easy mulching solutions for the busy gardener to replesh nutrients in their soil and protect their plants form the hot weather.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"image\">\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/legume-bean-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?resize=665%2C499\" alt=\"legume-bean-nitrogen-fixer-mulch\" width=\"665\" height=\"499\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5575\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"topleftcol\">\n<fancyletter class=\"blue\">T<\/fancyletter>he <a class=\"navy\"; href=\"http:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/using-seaweed-mulch\/\" title=\"USING SEAWEED MULCH\" target=\"_blank\">seaweed mulch<\/a> we covered the garden beds with has been decomposing nicely, shrinking away to nothing. adding nutrients to the soil. However the  <a class=\"navy\"; href=\"http:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/pre-spring-companions-calendula-marigold\/\" title=\"PRE-SPRING COMPANIONS \u2013 CALENDULA &#038; MARIGOLD\" target=\"_blank\">companion plants<\/a> haven&#8217;t grown large enough to cover the bare spots and the cool weather crops are ending. On the otherhand the herb border went wild during the Spring Flush! <\/p>\n<h4 class=\"navy\">What to do&#8230; let&#8217;s chop &#038; drop!<\/h4>\n<p>Herbs accumulate a lot of <a class=\"navy\"; href=\"http:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/seaweed-mulch\/\" title=\"SEAWEED MULCH EXPLAINED\" target=\"_blank\">micro-nutrients<\/a> in their leaves, especially the perennial ones with deep roots, they&#8217;re pretty sneaky and can get hidden nutrients out of even the worst soil. So if you can&#8217;t eat them all it makes sense to chop up the leaves and mulch with them, as they decompose they&#8217;ll make those nutrients accessible to your annuals. A lot of these are also great <strong class=\"blue\">compost activators<\/strong> and some plants like legumes actually accumulate nitrogen from the air! I use trimmings of the River Wattle bushes we have in our food forest as it is nice and fine. Always  <strong class=\"blue\">finely chop<\/strong> your herb mulches so they breakdown easily and in the case of nasturtiums don&#8217;t start spouting! You can even use leafy kitchen scraps, but don&#8217;t let your chooks\/worms go hungry! Add crushed eggshells for additional calcium.<\/p>\n<p>Just like us plants need a <strong class=\"blue\">balanced diet<\/strong> to be <strong class=\"blue\">disease resistant and healthy<\/strong>. In nature leaves fall to the ground adding nutrients back to the soil, some are eaten by animals and insects, but they too add to the soil in the form of manure. How can we expect the soil to remain healthy when all we do is take and take? A diet of sugarcane mulch alone is just not enough! To avoid problems of malnutrition, spread your herb mulch throughout the garden to evenly distributing a broad specturm of nutrients. <\/p>\n<p>So why waste time and money buying fertilisers and chemical additives?! You just need to <strong class=\"blue\">follow nature&#8217;s example<\/strong>, chop &#038; drop the leaves where you found them! It&#8217;s not lazy if it&#8217;s smart! Ha!<\/p>\n<p>NOTE: Some herbs have \t<a class=\"navy\"; href=\"http:\/\/earthfriendlygardening.wordpress.com\/2006\/11\/30\/allelopathic-plants-natures-weedkillers\/\" target=\"_blank\">negative allelopathic effects<\/a> on other plants so should not be used as a mulch. These &#8220;anti-companions&#8221; release biochemicals that stunt growth, cause plants to bolt or just outright kill them dead. Why would they be so cruel? Perhaps as a defense mechanism to ward off herbivorous animals and insects, but is that really an excuse?\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/angelica-chop-drop-permaculture-sheet-mulch.jpg?resize=665%2C499\" alt=\"angelica-chop-drop-permaculture-sheet-mulch\" width=\"665\" height=\"499\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5697\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/angelica-chop-drop-permaculture-sheet-mulch.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/angelica-chop-drop-permaculture-sheet-mulch.jpg?resize=660%2C494&amp;ssl=1 660w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/angelica-chop-drop-permaculture-sheet-mulch.jpg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"image\">\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/green-mulch-lettuce-seedling-angelica-eggshell-acacia.jpg?resize=665%2C499\" alt=\"green-mulch-lettuce-seedling-angelica-eggshell-acacia\" width=\"665\" height=\"499\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/green-mulch-lettuce-seedling-angelica-eggshell-acacia.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/green-mulch-lettuce-seedling-angelica-eggshell-acacia.jpg?resize=660%2C494&amp;ssl=1 660w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/green-mulch-lettuce-seedling-angelica-eggshell-acacia.jpg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"topleftcol\">\n<h4 class=\"navy\">micro-nutrients found in some common herbs<\/h4>\n<p>If you know of anymore please share with us, let&#8217;s add to the list!<\/p>\n<div class=\"col50\">\n<ul>\n<h3 class=\"navy\">PERENNIAL HERBS<\/h3>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">MARJORAM<\/strong> &#8211; calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, trace amounts of manganese<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">OREGANO<\/strong> &#8211; calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, trace amounts of zinc<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">ANGELICA<\/strong> &#8211; potassium<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">ROSEMARY<\/strong> &#8211; phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">THYME<\/strong> &#8211; potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">CHAMOMILE<\/strong> &#8211; calcium, potassium, phosphorous<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">COMFREY<\/strong> &#8211; nitrogen, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, silica<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"navy\">ANNUAL HERBS<\/h3>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">PARSLEY<\/strong> &#8211; calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, trace amounts of phosphorus<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">BASIL<\/strong> &#8211; calcium, iron<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col50end\">\n<ul>\n<h3 class=\"navy\">NITROGEN FIXERS<\/h3>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">ACACIA<\/strong> &#8211; nitrogen<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">VETCHES<\/strong> &#8211; nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, copper, cobalt<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">LEGUMES<\/strong> &#8211; nitrogen<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">LUPINS<\/strong> &#8211; nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"navy\">WEEDS<\/h3>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">THISTLES<\/strong> &#8211; potassium<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">NETTLES<\/strong> &#8211; calcium, iron, copper, sodium, sulphur, nitrogen, potassium<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">DANDELION<\/strong> &#8211; iron, copper, potassium, sulphur, manganese<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">PLANTAIN<\/strong> &#8211; calcium<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"navy\">EDIBLE FLOWERS<\/h3>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">SUNFLOWERS<\/strong> &#8211; potassium<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">PRIMROSE<\/strong> &#8211; magnesium<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">YARROW<\/strong> &#8211; copper, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">BORAGE<\/strong> &#8211; potassium, calcium, silica, phosphorous<\/div>\n<div class=\"bulleted\"><strong class=\"blue\">NASTURTIUMS<\/strong> &#8211; sodium, fluorine, sulphur, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, iron<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?resize=665%2C499\" alt=\"moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch\" width=\"665\" height=\"499\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5710\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?resize=660%2C494&amp;ssl=1 660w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/lettuce-seedlings-mulching-strawberries.jpg?resize=665%2C499\" alt=\"lettuce-seedlings-mulching-strawberries\" width=\"665\" height=\"499\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/lettuce-seedlings-mulching-strawberries.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/lettuce-seedlings-mulching-strawberries.jpg?resize=660%2C494&amp;ssl=1 660w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/lettuce-seedlings-mulching-strawberries.jpg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[mm-insert-title] high summer preparation free, easy mulching solutions for the busy gardener to replesh nutrients in their soil and protect their plants form the hot weather. The seaweed mulch we covered the garden beds with has been decomposing nicely, shrinking away to nothing. adding nutrients to the soil. However the companion plants haven&#8217;t grown large [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[294,310,289,34,134,318,291,306,81,284],"class_list":["post-5532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-garden","tag-companion-planting","tag-compost-seaweed-herb-teas","tag-garden-preparation","tag-gardening","tag-herbs","tag-high-summer","tag-how-to-guide","tag-mulching","tag-permaculture-design","tag-solanaceae-nightshades"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/moisture-retention-free-cheap-acacia-nitrogen-fixer-mulch.jpg?fit=900%2C675&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4l1F7-1re","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5532"}],"version-history":[{"count":137,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6399,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5532\/revisions\/6399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}