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any thoughts on growing mulch ?

 
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dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45326
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 17 8:25 pm    Post subject: any thoughts on growing mulch ? Reply with quote
    

as in this linky

i was wondering what folk have under their top fruit trees?

does mulching matter?

what might be better?

and any other mulchy advice gratefully received.

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45384
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 17 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We mulched all ours when we planted about 4" of compost. Got nothing to compare to but there's plenty of research that says any mulch of organic matter helps in lots of ways

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15514

PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 17 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I don't see why sedges would be any better than grass round trees, and in the early years they don't want the competition. If you want to be native in the UK, wood sedge is about 6-9" high and is quite nice. It will grow in shade, but will be in clumps.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45326
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 17 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

ta mulching it is then, i will look into what might be available, i do need enough of it for quite a few trees .

Slim



Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6531
Location: New England (In the US of A)
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 17 12:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think that article is talking about sedge taking away the need for mulch, in a landscaping sense. That is to say that it's a strong competitor and won't many weeds through.

Isn't that the same reason we don't want grass growing too closely to our fruit trees, because they're strong competitors?

I've heard this guy speak: https://www.chelseagreen.com/the-apple-grower

Anyhow, he pushes two thoughts.
One is to chip smallish diameter branches/coppice (I forget what size exactly he targets) because it has a relatively high cambium & phloem to wood ratio. His thinking is that because the cambium should be relatively nutrient and sugar rich, you're providing more food for the mycorrhizae that will then feed your trees.

The other is to use old sheetrock (AKA drywall, aka gypboard) as a weed suppressing mulch as it provides calcium and sulfur and doesn't fiddle with your pH. The boric acid that treats the paper breaks down well enough outdoors, and subsequently supplies boron (which is lacking in our part of the world). I believe that boric acid also precludes some organic certification and is why he no longer worries about "official" organic status.


I've also heard of comfrey and alfalfa intercrops used a "fertility patch" where one can apply their composting toilet production, and (when appropriate time has passed since winter fertilizing) cut the plants and apply them as a mulch bringing lots of fertility to wherever they are applied. I think this is usually more for veg and berries however as you want a longer lasting mulch for orchard. But I think this is always worth bringing up as it pairs nicely with a humanure system for closing one's nutrient cycle without direct application.

Humanure: https://humanurehandbook.com/downloads/H2.pdf

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