Whereas mulching is clearly of benefit in two ways, a) protection of soil dehydration in direct sunlight and wind, b) the slow biological decay that improves soil structure and nutrients, what follows are a plethora of reasons I don't subscribe to the idea in anything but a fleeting moment where there is excesses vegetation and the environment for cultivation could benefit from such.

This post is prompted by a repeated criticism from Laura. Laura is an ardent user of mulching and does for instance 'blame' my drying soil on the lack of mulching, and in this there is a clear correlation, but this is not the same as cause and effect or my lack of using mulching as a way to combat the factors involved.

So let me get to reasons why I do not mulch very much at all.

1. The overriding concern is that with the idea of independence and self-sufficiency I will not use material from land I am not cultivating to support 'the site' I am as as a general practice.
2. In a situation where material 'off site' maybe used there are tow consideration to take into account.
   a) the deprivation of the land vegetation is being taken from and hence reducing it's structure integrity and nutrient value and
   b) How this is actually carried out, both physically and efficiently.
3. Physically Cutting vegetation by hand and a short carry to 'the site', ideally with small cuttings if vegetation is growing and the soil is to be protected from direct sunlight.
4. Efficiently Plants absorb sunlight in a varying degree, which in turns allow the plant to absorb nutrients at various rates, and of course part of the use in mulching is the nutrient value of the material
5. Material Value Although an obvious value it is worth noting as it is a reason I also do not import vegetation

Anyway Fig Day