Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Dieter Brand <diebrand@yahoo.com>]

>After the ice storm disaster, ...

 

This reminds me, Canadian researcher Pierre Lemieux proposed,

after le verglas that devastated much of Canada’s forests, using

Ramified Wood Chip mulch for restoring fertility in agricultural

land. Lemieux conducted field tests with thick layers (several

inches) of wood chip mulch. He recommended using a nitrogen

source like manure to offset the effect of the carbon-rich woody

material.

 

Much of our land is covered by bushes, scrubs and trees and

we always have a plentiful supply of woody material; however,

unlike Lemieux, I prefer to use thin layers (less than an

inch) of woody mulches more frequently, and I don’t need a

nitrogen source.

 

I tried composting, but woody material isn’t ideal for composting.

Next time, I will try inoculating the heap with fungi by spreading

a little soil from the forested part of our land. It will probably

take longer than a normal compost heap, but that doesn’t matter.

 

Apart from mulching your garden you can also spread it on

walkways, especially in muddy places, for walking on. Once it

is decomposed you can still move it to the vegetable beds.

 

I do spread a thin layer on grassland and find it helps to improve

the soil, but we are in a semi-arid region, and things may be

different where you are. And I don’t know if your cows would

like it, if you have any.

 

You could also make raised beds European-style by first heaping

branches and other stuff which is then covered by layers of soil,

compost and mulch. I don’t use raised beds, they dry out to

easily, but if drought is not an issue were you are this may be

an option.

 

There is also a French guy, Jean Pain, who uses huge heaps of

wood chips to generate most of the energy on his farm. He has

a boiler or something like that inside the heap which transmits

the composting heat. When one heap is done he uses the compost

on the farm and builds another for his energy system.

 

I don’t have a shredder, so shredding can be a bit of a problem.

I use a power cutter with a hacking device for shredding thin

branches. If you use no-till and are courageous enough, you can

also try using unshredded branches on you vegetable beds.

 

I have heard about somebody who got rid of Bermuda grass

with half-decayed wood chips, I’m little doubtful though.

 

Dieter Brand

Portugal

Laurie Ann Powell <laurie@powellclan.com> wrote:
> After the ice storm disaster, those of us in Northeast OK have available
> huge amounts of brush wood and mulch.
>
> I'd like suggestions for as many uses for these as possible for soil
> remediation and rapid decomposition in our zone. 
>
> I'm thinking the tool is to hand for dealing with bermuda, for starters,
> as suggested by some on this list. I will mulch heavily and plant
> things that do well under mulch. I'm also thinking I can do brush
> fencing by placing t-posts at 4 foot spacing and weaving. 
>
> Is there a way to benefit the pasture without choking out the beneficial
> prairie grass? Good ways to use ash from people who are burning their
> brush?
>
> Other suggestions? 
>
> Oh! And those of you who live
>  elsewhere, I expect firewood to be a real
> bargain here over the summer, so if you have a truck, come on down...
>
> Laurie Ann
>
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