[Market-farming] Mulching Fruit Trees

Bill Shoemaker wshoemak at inil.com
Wed Nov 19 12:42:21 EST 2008


I'd like to second Chrys's recommendation. Young trees are very susceptible 
to rodent chewing. To them it's just good food. The mulch is fine but you 
must protect the trees.


Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html




> Mark,
>
> Mulch is an excellent treatment for fruit trees (and most other
> growing things).
>
> Yes, you should pull the mulch back 6 to 8 inches away from the base
> of the tree and protect the base from winter rodent knawings by
> wrapping the base of the seedling with metal window screen.
>
> Chrys
>
> At 08:42 AM 11/19/2008, you wrote:
>>A few weeks ago, I put in a small peach orchard - 22 trees.  To
>>shave off a year or so from the time before the first harvest, I
>>planted 5 gallon potted trees - yes, it did cost more, but felt it
>>was worth it this time.  Bare root will be used for further expansion.
>>
>>When planting, close attention was paid to where the ground level
>>met the base of the trees, but I'm not sure about putting mulch
>>around them.  Should I pull the mulch back away from the base of the
>>trees, or is it ok to leave it?  The mulch I'm using is wood chips
>>and is between 6 and 8 inches deep.
>>
>>Thanks for the help.
>>
>>TxBeeFarmer (Mark)
>>West Texas Zone 7b
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>>
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>
> This message originated from or was forwarded by:
> Chrys Ostrander
> Chrysalis Farm @ Tolstoy
> Organic Micro-permaculture
> 33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
> Davenport, WA 99122
> 509-725-0610
> chrys at thefutureisorganic.net
> http://www.thefutureisorganic.net
>
> "From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs"
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>
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>
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> 2007
>
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>
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