North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark & Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

Jerry,

 

I've been mulching heavy for about a year now.  Been using leaves, grass clips, and wood.  I'm amazed how much water a good layer of mulch will conserve.  In fact, it caused me to overwater some trees this summer.  Most places recommend about an inch of water per week in summer weather, but with mulch an inch per month is probably more like it.  Also had a little problem with mulch holding too much moisture next to the trunk and cause some damage.  Some have problems with rodents nesting in the mulch.  Haven't seen it yet, but we have a rat terrier that roams the yard.  Might also mention fresh grass clippings next to the trunk are bad, at least on young trees.  Either because of the nit. or because of heat (don't know which) it causes a lot of trunk damage.

 

Mark

KS

----- Original Message -----

From: Jerry

To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 12:12 PM

Subject: [NAFEX] wood chips

I recently had the good fortune of having a truck load of fresh wood chips dumped on my property (at my request!)  They are from Poplar Trees (tulip tree) from my neighbor's place who had several very large trees cut down.  The guy doing the cutting said they are no good for mulching until they compost several months because they are too acid.  I was planning on using them on a patch that needs new chips.  But does anyone know:

1.  Is it true they are too acid for mulch when fresh?

2.  Does age take that problem away?

3.  Could I use them for my blueberries, as they seem to constantly need more acid soil?

 

Jerry in southern Indiana

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