To Mulch, or not to Mulch?

[mdvaden]

I often cover the grass with mulch - no cardboard.

 

Although cardboard decomposes quick, it may be impermeable to gas exchange for a matter of weeks. Whether months, I'm not sure.

 

With a few inches of mulch over short mowed grass, I just let whatever grass gets smothered - smother.

 

Any else that comes up - I dilute Roundup to 50% label rate and spot spray. Any residue is very minor and inconsequential.

 

Fabric only finds it's way under gravel paths that I put in, as weeds always grow on top of it in mulch anyway and weeding still has to be done.

[patrickosborne]

Looks good Patrick.

 

Are there any other similar sized Hc's on site with BC,

(ie the one opposite) which you can compare each others vitality against next year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sorry Dave I can't I know it looks like a rough Chestnut but it's actually a lightning damaged oak in the picture.

[David Humphries]

Sorry Dave I can't I know it looks like a rough Chestnut but it's actually a lightning damaged oak in the picture.

 

 

Nay worries Pat.

 

Out of interest, did you continue the cardboard up to the white line before laying the mulch?

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited December 9, 2008 by Monkey-D

[patrickosborne]

Yes I basically copied your idea, the only worry is dogs digging the cardboard up! I'm going back next week to check. What does your mulch base look like now ?

[David Humphries]

Yes I basically copied your idea, the only worry is dogs digging the cardboard up! I'm going back next week to check. What does your mulch base look like now ?

 

 

 

A few bits and pieces dug up in the first week (Crows mainly), but that has settled down now.

I believe birds/animals are attracted to the smell of the glue in the cardboard.

 

Not sure on the state the Mulch base, will have a butch on the morrow.

 

 

 

 

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[Arob]

I often cover the grass with mulch - no cardboard.

 

Although cardboard decomposes quick, it may be impermeable to gas exchange for a matter of weeks. Whether months, I'm not sure.

 

With a few inches of mulch over short mowed grass, I just let whatever grass gets smothered - smother.

 

Any else that comes up - I dilute Roundup to 50% label rate and spot spray. Any residue is very minor and inconsequential.

 

Fabric only finds it's way under gravel paths that I put in, as weeds always grow on top of it in mulch anyway and weeding still has to be done.

 

Fair comment and a perfectly reasonable approach.

I used cardboard mulch (and when i ran out of that used newspaper about 6 sheets thick) on allotment a few years back, wanted to avoid chemicals, and found no signs of any problems of the kind that a plastic mulch might produce, however no doubt the type of soil matters, and existing vegetation types may also proclude a mulch only approach. One of my reasons for using the corrugated cardboard was down to it's beneficial effects on worms and their health and activity is obviously key to soil condition (worms = good soil = good plants) have to confess being a tad miffed like DMC when realising that we didn't have non-mechanical approach to compare with pics from Lee's jobs:001_tongue:, perhaps a larger study is needed anyway.

[Arob]

Just to chuck a couple of cats in amongst the pigeons;

1) Is mulching for life, not just for Christmas?

You have chosen to mulch a tree in order to ameliorate compaction and thereby improve soil conditions, having acheived this goal a few years later, must you continue this regime, or is there an option to phase out? Will it be possible or desirable to return to previous vegetation type and management regime, eg grass and grass cutting, or will consequence of improving soil be a change in climax vegetation with the increase in more vigourous grasses and other weeds?

Discuss.

 

2) Can mulching ever provide the solution to widespread root compaction?

Having begun to see some success in using mulches to decompact around the roots of trees, you are keen to extend the use of the technique, but before doing so you must establish the limiting factors in using this technique. Are all of your sites suitable? What are the management requirements? etc

 

Finish writing the question, then discuss

[David Humphries]

A little pictoral update, six months on, oh how the time doth fly............

 

More just an observation on the Mulch at the mo, will assess the twig vitality in a month or so.

 

Early days yet, but any one reckon a contact on the weed encroachment would be worthwhile at this point?

 

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[Marcus B-T]

Just seen all this and have a little bit of science to add. If you put mulch straight unto grass you tend to release a great deal of free nitrogen as nitrate or ammonium salts. The cardboard not only is a physical barrier but also because it is high in carbon but low in nitrogen tends to lock up the free nitrogen. Wood chip is not good at suppressing this because either it has nitrogen in their that isn't stabilised or it it too intert t have an effect. You can also use barley straw. You might have a quick lookat waht comes up as weeds in theory if all is going well you should see fewer grasses and more flowering plants. This is because grasses are more N sensitive than lowering plants.

[Marcus B-T]

Forgot to finish off with. The ideal system would be a layer of finely chopped barley straw, covered with cardboard or paper, with a composted or inert mulch on top.