I decided to get serious about mulching the blueberries bushes, before the well watered weeds took over. I used cardboard boxes to shade roses in Phoenix, and the same method worked well for blueberries. I cut the tape on the bottom and spread the flaps to put a small box around most plants. Some boxes just opened up and I used them as thick newspaper mulch.
I soaked newspapers in the third kiddie pool and used them around the edge to hold down the boxes, weeds, and long grass.
Now that I am mulching with cardboard boxes, the recycle barrel holds my mulch and I covet stacks of cardboard boxes. I had all the cardboard used up on blueberries. The rustic fence used quite a few boxes too.
At Walmart I looked over boxes and boxes I could use in the Wild Garden, as the first layer.
In mulching I found my first blueberry, which was not completely formed but tasted so good from the plant. I also had a second ear of Silver Queen sweet corn, which was quickly microwaved and eaten with butter.
The Quest for Pine Needles
Blueberries produce more with acid in the soil. I wanted to add peat moss, but could only get the composted version, which is neutral.
Another solution is mulching with pine needles, surely a possibility with pine cones in the neighborhood. When Sassy and I walked toward Almost Eden, to enjoy the shade and plants, I passed our neighbor's house with three pine trees.
My next challenge is to convince the residents that raking their needles is good, proper, normal, and likely to be rewarded with blueberries.
