Tomatoes – Mulching With Sawdust

Q: My tomatoes are ready for the cages to be put around them. I live near a saw mill. Can I use their sawdust to mulch around the tomatoes?

A: A light mulch of the sawdust, no more than an inch thick, should be fine for your plants. However, make sure the sawmill is not working with walnut logs. The sap from walnut tree chips can harm plants.