I’m a big believer in using mulch in the garden. My plants all do a lot better with a bit of sugar cane or leaf mulch to protect their roots from the worst of heavy rains, drying winds, scorching sun and even the neighbour’s cat.
I may like mulch but my chickens love it. So much so that I don’t bother mulching anything that isn’t protected by a fence. No tree or garden bed is safe from their scratchings. Here they are helping themselves to some of the natural leaf mulch dropped by the neighbour’s oak tree. I have raked up a couple piles of this and thrown it into the chook run. When the hens are actually penned up, they appreciate this mulch more than any head of lettuce ever has.
I first started experimenting with mulch back in Feb 2011. Since then my trials have proven that mulch is super functional – but thanks to my chickens, I’m learning it’s also a whole lot of fun!
Laura Rittenhouse's Gardening Journal 