Mulch?

[eastwood2007]

Hi, all! I haven't posted here this summer, but I've been reading yours. I've had nothing to add yet.

All my seedlings I started this spring are doing well. Unfortunately, I am just getting ready to plant them out to their new garden home tomorrow. They will have their own dedicated bed. I know it is late, but I've had no option.

A question please....I plan to mulch them after they go dormant with shredded leaves...if that is what I should do, anyway. I am looking for suggestions on the best way to winter them over. Should I use leaves? How deep should I cover them? When do I remove the heavy mulch in the spring? Or do I? Is there anything I need to watch out for thru the winter?

Thanks for any input. I really got some nice seedlings this year from all the seeds I got here. I 'm really looking forward to seeing those blooms next year!

[notmartha]

i use to cover my dl's with straw and i buried them completely
Now i just leave them uncovered and PRAY that they all make it
Im sure if you cover the seedlings with leaves maybe 4-6 inches you should be ok
I uncover them early spring-they are pretty darn tough!

good luck and i hope they are all BEAUTIFUL when they bloom!

i have a frig full of seeds and some are sprouted!!!

[eastwood2007]

Thanks, notmartha!

Do you start your seeds inside during the winter?

You say you mulched with straw. I do have straw - Do you think that would that be better? The daylily seedling bed is not close to the house so the way it looks isn't as important. When I used straw in my vegetable beds I always had trouble with weed seeds and wheat/oats seeds sprouting. Have you had that problem? I thought leaves might be better since they wouldn't have much weed seed content.

I'm totally open to suggestions...I just really want these seedlings to make it.

[notmartha]

the very reason i quit using the straw was all the new weeds i had
so i took the chance and gave up the straw-now days they only have there
dead fans for mulch and any leaves that blow out there
mine are away from the house too-go with the leaves!!!!

i also have started lots of seeds over the winter but im going to try to hold off till spring(some have sprouted)and keep
them all in the frig!!!

good luck!!!
dori

[eastwood2007]

Thanks, Dori!

Leaves it is, then!!!!

Good luck holding your seeds till spring...

[Mary Ann]

I'm not sure why but I've never had a problem with weeds in straw. May be they need to be aged? I collect straw bales after Halloween and store them over winter. Aren't the seeds removed during thrashing? Birds gobble up a lot of exposed seeds when they're fresh and a few sprout in the fall but they're long gone when I use them in the Spring for mulch.

Evergreen boughs make a loose airy protection too. Think recycled Christmas trees.

[Ed_B]

I mulch between plants with shredded leaves every fall, try to avoid covering crown.
I never remove the leaf mulch either, by June it is all gone anyway.
I also try to use a wood chip mulch as much as I can, good for about 3 years.
Ed B