Mulching tomatoes - personal experience?

[puglogic]

We mulch almost everything here because of our arid climate. I often mulch simply with straw or hay or pine needles because it's what we have the most of (and we have no slug problems), but this year I wanted to experiment a little.

I've heard of all kinds of people using different mulches for tomatoes, for example. Red plastic, black plastic, cocoa hulls (wherever one gets those) etc. Everybody swears by their chosen method, swears that it increases yields, etc.

Does anybody use any sort of mulch on their tomatoes? What works for you?

[Mrs. Hermit]

While living in the frozen North (NW MI), I used black plastic around my tomatoes. It raised the soil temps enough to get the plants blooming earlier, thus producing earlier. When I lived in the south, I would use grass or straw to retain moisture, and to keep our clay soil from compacting.

[Gina]

I also live in a dry environment and usually mulch my tomatoes. I've used various things including dried weeds, straw and bedding from a horse stable, and most often, the ground mulch from the city land-fill. I use the later most often and it works great - worms just love the stuff. I also run soaker hoses beneath the mulch for watering with less waste.

I've never used plastic for tomatoes, but have for melons. I've read that the red plastic increases yields, and would be interested in trying some, but am too cheap to buy any.

[kally]

watch that cocoa mulch and pets
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

[CathyA]

I use straw. I wish it was organic straw though. The reason I use it is because if you don't, soil can get splashed up onto the plants when it rains or you water them, and it carries organisms onto the leaves, and causes blight. It really helps. Haven't thought of using anything else. I've never liked the idea of using plastic in the garden.

[jania]

I just use straw.