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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] mulching fruit trees

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  • From: "Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] mulching fruit trees
  • Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 20:09:59 -0500

All my fruit trees are planted in 50-foot-long strips that are 6 feet wide and mulched with 4 inches of shredded cedar bark and wood. In the three years I've had this little orchard, I have no problems. All the trees were inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi when planted and the soil is naturally fertile. I add compost and alfalfa pellets a couple times a year. The mulch is pulled back from the tree trunks--about 2 inches--and every trunk has a plastic tree guard to prevent rodent damage. I've never had any.

My trees are on Bud 9 and other dwarfing stock, so they won't grow more than 8-9 feet tall, hence the six-foot-wide mulch band.

I like the cedar mulch for a couple of reasons. The resin in the cedar helps control insects. Weed and grass incursions are blatantly visible, and I pull up the offenders immediately. The deer seem to stay away, and rodents don't nest there. Only problem is somethings a wild turkey will rut through the mulch looking for grubs. But, it's easy enough to rake the mulch smooth again.

My 2 cents worth.
Doreen Howard





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