We have had raised bed gardens/farming at GSB since 2008/2009 school year. I incorporate mulch in our beds every year. At the end of every growing season within the raised beds our soil has been compacted as if we were walking on it. A mystery since we had not been walking in our beds.
Today I am reading an article in Urban Farmer about the benefits of mulch and the author is preaching to the choir until he starts to talk about how mulch layered onto of the soil during the growing season stops soil compaction from - drum roll please - rain.
Soil without mulch on top takes x inches of rain each season, which equates to x gallons of water and each gallon weighs eight pounds and the rain fall from x high up in the sky - yadda, yadda, yadda - compressed soil like the farmer/gardener has been walking in the beds.
Epiphany!
Who would have thunk it - not me. Next year the farm and garden will have a rich layer of mulch on top, as a shock absorber, throughout the growing season.
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