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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Mulching Fruit Trees
  • Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:42:21 -0600

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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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

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