This is a brand new garden, and I'm having some problems with the clayish soil drying and cracking. I'd like to mulch, but I'm on a very tight budget.

What I was thinking about doing is making a screen out of 1/2" mesh hardware cloth, and screening the wood chips for the finer stuff. I'd put the big stuff in various places in my yard and on the walkway, and use the finer stuff as mulch around the veggies. Do you think this would work well? I know that decomposing wood can steal nitrogen from the soil, but if I don't mix it in until the end of the season, and possibly add some used coffee grounds and such when I do mix it in, I would think that would cover that problem?

Any suggestions? I have been forbidden to use newspaper as mulch (it's a suburban backyard, and I had to beg to get the garden as it is). No leaves left from the fall, although I plan to save them this year.

So-fine wood chips/wood dust as a veggie garden mulch, yes or no?

And if yes, is it to early in the spring to apply it? Raised beds, and I'm pretty sure the soil is warm enough now. I'm more concerned with moisture loss. I've got baby lettuce sprouting in the cracks!

One bit of caution; if the chips are fresh; they will suck nitrogen from the soil to aid in decomposing. The simple solution is to use dilute household ammonium. Just use a spray bottle to wet down the chips