To: Homestead mailing list digest <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [Homestead] The Use of R.C. W. in Agriculture
Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2005 21:22:12 -0700
I seem to be losing emails, but I recall that someone asked about how
best to treat wood chips. Let's see if I can summarize what was in the
Noel paper. Never till them in, because it leads to anaerobic
decomposition. Hardwood chips are best disked into the top 2" of soil
in the fall along with some white rot fungus from hardwood forest
litter. Softwood chips, outside the tropics, leave toxic products on
decomposition, so they're better used on paths, although fine ones can
be composted with fresh manure. It's a sad revelation, I know, since
I'd love to find a way to put fir boughs to use, so next year I might
try mulching tomatoes with them in the greenhouse.
Bill
S. Oregon coast
Re: [Homestead] The Use of R.C. W. in Agriculture,
Bill Jones, 09/07/2005