North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Bruce Hansen" <brucehansen@ACD.NET>]

I have used hay on many occasions to mulch around my orchard trees. Mind
you, I always kept the mulch away from the tree trunk. Alas, I no longer use
this technique but have gone to a mixture of orchard grass and clovers (some
alfalfa) which I mow a couple of times a season. Adding red worms to my clay
soil is the second step in this process, since they make short work of the
cuttings. The problem I ran into with the hay mulch was voles and the damage
they cause in the winter. The hay is a lovely home for these critters and
even though the mulch band is placed away from the tree, a good snow makes
for fun sliding tunnels to the food source, my tree trunks. I have learned a
bunch about bridge grafting and my craft is improving but enough of a good
thing is enough.

Best of Luck
Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-admin@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-admin@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of del stubbs
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 10:08 AM
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] orchard hay compost



I am presently cutting hay from a low area near my orchard with the
intention of  adding it to the orchard as much needed organic matter - to
amend the clay soil.  I just did a net search on composting hay and came up
empty.
My thought is to make windrows 2' deep. Or to encircle the trees 6-8' dia.
2'deep.  I dont have any mechanical means to turn it so will have to let it
compost  by worms and slower (anerobic?) rotting.   Naturally, wherever I
put it I won't be able to mow , but hopefully won't have to .  Getting mulch
off from around the trees in the spring is a good idea here for early ground
warm up.... not sure how to add that into the equation.
Any one done this ? Just piled hay in an orhcard and hoped for nature to do
the rest?
I am hoping to be able to  add a neighbors horse manure to the top of it as
well.
Duck weed has completely closed in our 2 acre pond, bet it would make
wonderful fertilizer if a person could gather it.
Wish we could send some our rain to you folk in the dry parts of N. America,
just had an awesome skeeter hatch here.  Del

Del Stubbs  www.pinewoodforge.com  ag zone2/3


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