Gardening Charlotte

Hot Mulch

“…I was reading one of your (earlier) columns and you mentioned that newly-chipped wood can be too hot to use as mulch. Is that true for mulch from our recycling center and how long should I wait to use it in flower beds?” – Anita

Hi Anita, yes, newly shredded wood is not good for flowerbeds unless you want to kill the plants currently in it. In that respect, newly chipped mulch works well if you have weeds and other unwanted plants you want to clear from a garden area. I place cardboard on the area first, then add a good four inches or so of mulch.

I use freshly chipped wood in my garden paths for that reason. The hot mulch will at first clear the path of unwanted growth. As the mulch ages, it will then become a growing area for seeds and other plants that decide to settle there.

In terms of how hot newly-chopped wood can get, our Rolla recycling center mulch pile has been doing a slow burn all summer, a sure indication that the wood is too hot for established flower beds. Now imagine what that will do to your flowers?

When it comes to using the mulch, I tend to wait six months and/or through one winter before I move wood mulch from a stockpile into my flowerbeds. If I need to immediately mulch, I keep a small stash that I have spread into a thin layer to make sure it cools before spreading in a flowerbed.

I will use the newly chipped wood as is for garden paths and growth control but I still put a cardboard or newspaper layer in between the wood and the soil.

The same principle applies to a homemade wood mulch pile.

“Is there such a thing as wild coleus? I have something growing in my yard that looks like coleus but I didn’t plant it….” – Jerry

Hi Jerry, false coleus is one of a number of names for this member of the mint family. Perilla plants tend to sprout in disturbed sites. They bloom in the summer and carry tubular white flowers on long stems, very similar to the coleus one can buy at local garden centers early summer.

I have read Perilla can be invasive so keep an eye on how quickly it grows.

Interestingly enough, I found one of our big box hardware stores selling Perilla plants late summer this year.

“I’m looking for an easy to care for perennial to plant in an area that won’t be easily watered. What do you suggest?” – Robert

Hi Robert, that’s easy, Autumn “Joy” Sedum is one of my all-time favorite perennials that don’t need a lot of water. In spring, the plant starts with green rosettes at soil level that look like roses. By summer, the succulent-like plant has lovely flowers that attract pollinators through fall. In winter, the dry flowers collect snow giving the garden a new look. Once established, this perennial requires little to no care.

Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is a beekeeper, gardener and sometimes cook. Published by El Dorado Springs Sun with author’s permission. Copyright 2018, all rights reserved. Contact Charlotte at gardeningcharlotte@gmail.com with your questions and comments.