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  • From: Evan <kodama@riseup.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Growing Mulch
  • Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:53:04 -0400

This may be a silly question, but as I've begun planting and planning my modest orchard, I've run into a lack of available mulching materials (or more likely, I'm just blind to what's staring me in the face). The orchard's in a rural area and there aren't the abundant flows of woodchips and leaf-litter found in the urban areas. But, in consideration of a future with much less energy to spend on woodchippers, I've been wondering what I could use for mulch.

Right now I'm thinking I'll plant a coppice-or-pollard field downslope where I can take the shoots and lay as mulch around some of my fruit and nut trees upslope. I'm not sure which species I'll use, but possibly a mix of Basswood, Black Birch and maybe even Willow. My thinking is that if I coppice or pollard them on a fairly regular basis I can have a good supply of small woody shoots that will act as a decent mulch, break down relatively quickly and possibly enrich the nutrient content of the soils around my food-trees (I think Black Birch accumulates K, P, and Ca; Tilia P and Ca). I guess I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this sort of thing, what species you use, and how it works.

In case it's relevant the orchard is/will-be comprised of primarily Hazels, Chestnuts, Crabapples, and Juneberries.

Or maybe there's blindspot I have and this isn't a good idea?

Thanks!
Evan




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