Mulch Plants

• 1). Purchase or grow from seed any combination of mulch plants such as comfrey, artichokes, cardoon, rhubarb, clover or nasturtiums.
  
  
• 2). Plant the mulch plants here and there among your other garden plants in beds that could use a layer of mulch. Dig a hole no deeper than the root ball of the plants but twice as wide. Insert the root ball, back-fill, and water thoroughly. Water at least once a week in the absence of rain until the plants are established.
  
  
• 3). Cut the mulch plants back by one-third with garden pruners or shears four or five times per your growing season. This encourages them to produce more foliage for mulch. Lay the cuttings on the bed as evenly as possible to mulch your plants.
  
  

Wood Chips

• 1). Rent a wood chipper from a hardware store. There are many different makes and models, so ask for specific handling instructions for the one you rent.
  
  
• 2). Position the chipper on a sturdy, level surface protected from winds. Ensure that all children and pets are out of the work area. Stack brush and branches with a diameter no larger than what the machine can take near the feed slot.
  
  
• 3). Wear work gloves, protective eye wear, ear plugs and work boots. Stand on the side with the power switch in case you need to turn it off fast.
  
  
• 4). Feed branches into the chipper slowly. Don't try to jam branches into the machine. Turn off the machine when you're done with the brush, and spread the wood chips in your garden.
  
  

Green Manure Crops

• 1). Slash any green manure crops such as tall clovers and vetches, grasses, grains, mustard, crotolaria and buckwheat with a weed whacker or scythe. Toby Hemenway, author of "Gaia's Garden," recommends cutting these plants for manure before they set seed heads to prevent them from becoming your garden weeds.
  
  
• 2). Spread over the garden beds as mulch.
  
  
• 3). Cover this layer of mulch with a thin layer of wood chips, pine straw or wood shavings if the mulch looks unsightly.