When the seeds are in the garden should they be covered with mulch?

[Growdo Baggins]

I mean before they sprout. I've got some wood chips, or hay that's not had any herbicides used. I didn't know mulch would hurt them though.

 

[Chuck]

I would not do it. That is one of the objects of using mulch, to keep weeds down. You have seen how weak and easy to pull weeds are when they sprout through 2 or 3 inches of mulch. This will happen to your vegetable seed sprouts as well. It will also make for a weak root system. Apply the mulch AFTER the seeds have sprouted and are up and growing.

 

[Growdo Baggins]

I would not do it. That is one of the objects of using mulch, to keep weeds down. You have seen how weak and easy to pull weeds are when they sprout through 2 or 3 inches of mulch. This will happen to your vegetable seed sprouts as well. It will also make for a weak root system. Apply the mulch AFTER the seeds have sprouted and are up and growing.

Thank you so much man. That's what I was thinking and I left it uncovered all night. But when I woke up I looked at it and thought I needed to find out for sure. This is my first real garden. I planted some tomatoes and a few yellow squash last year but I'm really trying to do a lot more this year.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I don't use any mulch near, or around where my re-seeders are. they drop their seeds during the winter to have the natural cold hardening off. In the spring I pay attention to babies coming up. most of mine are columbines and black beauty lilies. In my oldest garden, there is no mulch at all, dense enough to block weeds.