Rhody damage by woodchip

[Stephen Blair]

I did a job where we blasted the woodchip in and around some mature wild rhodies, it will easily be a foot deep. The trees that were chipped were Lime and this was approx 1 month ago.

My customer is concerned about the rhodies, i have never had any problems before but there is always a first time:001_rolleyes:. Help and advice please from the experts:thumbup1:

[TArrryan]

a foot of chippings sounds like quite allot but I think it will be ok if you make certain the chippings aren't piled up around the stems.

how big are the rhodies out of curiosity, I've worked with some mature rhodies that were easily 8m tall!

[Stephen Blair]

the only thing i would of been concerned about was rot around the stem, it was just a bit to get the chips out of the way on the job, i didnt give much thought at the time to it but now it has been brought to my attention i will sort it, i will go and shift it if need be but i would like some informaton for the future.

I have piled mountains of chip over the years on jobs and never seen any imediate effect, and i know railway do it all the time, i know it diferent in domestic situations, i think it was because the area was out of site out of mind i didnt think.

I know they can generate quite a heat and draw nitrogen out the ground when breaking down.

[Big-Al]

Rhododendrons don't like their roots/base covered too much Stephen just enough so they can breath so I'd thin out the bark around there but a slight covering will protect them from winter weather.

 

The chipping coming from lime tree's shouldn't cause any concern, though in theory we shouldn't put freshly chipped stuff in beds/around shrubs as it can rob the soil of nutrients until it starts to decompose and feed the soil again.

 

For mature rhodies this aint going to damage them or anything though, they're very resilient.

[Parker]

You might be causing the roots to starve from lack of oxygen. When spreading mulch (wood chip) around the bases of trees to prevent weeds I think the maximum depth should only be 10cm (I read it somewhere but cant remember).

[Stephen Blair]

Cheers, i havent went to see the job, i just got a message on the phone, there were 2 areas. 1 i did last spring and the rhodies couldnt be damaged with a jcb they are that big and wild:laugh1:, but the other area has got smaller rhodies. I am just dreading going round and the boys have got it 3 feet deep:blushing:

Does anyone have any info on fungis, etc from chip damaging rhodies:confused1:

[Stephen Blair]

Parker i know anymore than 6-8" will cause the mulch to start breaking down rather than form a barrier and prevent weed supression

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

 

Sprayed 12 big leylands on a patch the size of a double garage yesterday - was about 3 foot thick!!!

[likeitorlumpit]

I'd be worried as they are rhodies

most roots in the surface layers suggest they like oxygen

We are always very careful when putting residual herbicides around rhodies- they keel over easily though I've no experience with wild ponticum- would have thought it the same

[Big-Al]

Stephen I do alot of weekend work at Glenwhan gardens, the owner there specialises in rhodies and has done alot of seminars and reports on them. If you'd like some info on anything you're concerned about with them(signs of fungal disease) let me know and I'll ask her advice for you.

 

Remember any problems with them may be down to the two harsh winters we've had also.

 

We don't go any deeper than 2/3 inches of bark mulch.