What materials would be a good mulch for a vegetable garden?

Lawn clippings, straw, and leaves are excellent mulches for the vegetable garden.  Allow lawn clippings to dry before applying them to gardens.  A thick layer of fresh lawn clippings may get hot and produce an unpleasant odor.  If the lawn has been treated with a broadleaf herbicide, don’t use the clippings until the lawn has been mowed 2 or 3 times after the application.  Straw should be free of crop and weed seed.  Suitable materials include wheat, oat, and soybean straw.  Leaves should be shredded or composted before applied as a mulch.  Shredded or composted leaves are less likely to blow away in the wind.  A mulch depth of 2 to 4 inches would be appropriate when applying these materials to the vegetable garden.