Mulch III

While I personally have good experience with rice straw, other mulches such as wood chips or shredded bark are also fantastic for the garden. In fact, they can help build a rich soil much faster than using plain straw.

There are a few misconceptions about these mulches - namely, that they deplete nitrogen and acidify the soil. These negative effects only occur, however, if you are digging the mulch into the soil before it has decomposed instead of just letting it sit on top. It is usually user error. There is little evidence to back this up in standard home usage.

These mulches also discourage insects from making homes, and they also last longer without having to be replaced.

They are usually best for larger plants such as squash, rather than smaller plants like carrots or radishes, which would have a hard time pushing through the larger chunks of material relative to straw.

You may be able to obtain free wood chips from some arborist companies in your local area. Call them up!