Straw mulch is like giving your garden a nice cool hat on a hot day. It keeps the soil temperature down, stops water from evaporating too fast, and slowly breaks down to feed your plants. Your roots stay happy, your watering bill stays low, and your soil gets richer over time. Pretty solid deal, right? Here’s the catch though: some straw comes loaded with herbicides like aminopyralid and glyphosate that just won’t quit. These chemicals can hang around way longer than you’d think, and when they h