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Book 29, Question 81 · Video

What can you use as mulch?

Video · 1:51 · Crafty Clover explains, from A Million Whys Book 29

Good mulches include straw, shredded leaves, wood chips, bark, and dried grass clippings in thin layers. Cardboard and newspaper can be put under mulch to smother weeds. Choose clean materials without weed seeds. Avoid using thick layers of fresh grass, which can get slimy. Different mulches suit different beds: straw for vegetables, bark for shrubs.

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What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What can you use as mulch?

The Big Idea

Mulch comes in many kinds! Some of it is even free. What can you use?

Good Mulches

Step one: Good Mulches. Good mulches include straw, shredded leaves, wood chips, bark, and thin layers of dried grass clippings. Each one covers and protects the soil, and the natural ones slowly feed it as they break down.

Weed Blockers

Step two: Weed Blockers. Cardboard and newspaper can go under mulch to smother weeds. Choose clean materials without weed seeds, and avoid thick layers of fresh grass, which can get slimy.

Right Match

Step three: Right Match. Different mulches suit different beds. Straw works well around vegetables, and bark suits shrubs and trees.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Vegetables. Free! Paths and shrubs. Smothers weeds.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Autumn leaves make free mulch. Straw for vegetables. Bark for shrubs. Fresh grass gets slimy.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, collect autumn leaves. Wear gloves. Crumble or shred them into small pieces. Pile them into a mulch heap. Where would you spread it?

Outro

Good mulches include straw, shredded leaves, wood chips, bark, and thin layers of dried grass clippings, with cardboard underneath to smother weeds. Choose clean materials, and match them to the bed, like straw for vegetables and bark for shrubs. Science is amazing! What will you discover next? Every question is a new adventure, so keep wondering and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!

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