Mulching Strategies
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Mulching is the practice of placing dead plant material on the surface of soil to achieve a mix of effects: 1) suppression of unwanted vegetation, 2) reduction of evapotranspiration, 3) import of nutrients, 4) reduction of erosion, and creation of a permeable soil surface. The timing, material, depth, organization and application methods vary depending on the situation, available resources and equipment, and desired results.
Windrow Mulching
This strategy attempts to use the natural productivity of a field to produce a deep mulch within a strip, to support conversion from pasture to woody vegetation. The pasture is mown and material is gathered in a strip, either with a scythe, or mowing and windrowing equipment. A spring cutting and windrowing may produce a strip of dead pasture where planting is easier, the following season the process is repeated to provide a summer mulch for the new planting.