hazelnut said:tropicbreeze: I wonder if a scattering of diatomaceous earth might help some with the termite problem in your cardboard and paper mulch. I use it for the ants that get in my dog's food. It is not poisonous to cats or dogs, and is quite effective on insects. It is available at Amazon. Most people buy food grade, but it is also sold for swimming pool filters.
Here is a link to an article I wrote several years ago on the hows and why's of no-till gardening. I hope it is useful.
I was just reading back over your post and the article, Gloria. Thought-provoking. I use diatomacous earth for a number of things and I agree that might be useful for the issue Zig mentioned, although I had not thought of it. I buy mine in the lawn and garden section at our local Lowe's so assume it is not the food-grade type. I am going to check the pool supply aisle next time to compare prices. Thanks for putting me onto that particular info.
Indeed, we used to call this "no-till" gardening, although I hadn't heard that term in quite awhile. But the principles are the same. Soil profiles and so forth make an interesting study. I find that my soil, which is heavy on the clay in some areas, indeed actually does very well for planting and growing many, many things as long as the drainage remains good. Fortunately we gently slope downhill in the back. Our drainage is excellent. The picture above that has the EE "Cups" in it is in a fairly clay-heavy area, actually. I sheet mulched/lasagna-ed (is that a word?) that bed with no disturbing or tilling the soil whatsoever. It was not a particularly high stack of layers. I do like to wait until my heavy cardboard has softened and become penetrable and not plant right away so that bed sat from Fall through the Winter until the following Spring before planting. The bed has done extremely well in spite of having been an area of clay soil and Bermuda grass (what a combination). That is also another reason I want to get away from mowing my back ... clay compaction.
