Does Mulching Work?

 Thanks to Lori McCarter for the image

Is using mulch around plants and shrubs a good idea?  Like most things in life there are no simple answers, it depends who you talk to.

Personally I would think that generally, yes, mulching around plants is a good idea. There are voices of contradiction in the air though.

What if you put too much fresh mulch like wood shavings around the young plants, would it rot the stems?  Do pests and disease live in the bark put on the paths, were chemicals used in the process that would compromise an organic garden?  I really don’t know and I’m sure we could debate it over many pints in the pub.  

The one thing I would agree with is nature, and how mulching happens naturally in woodlands and wild places.  There’s a balance of decaying matter that helps to both promote new growth and sometimes deter others. Balance, that’s what it’s all about and how we can replicate it in or own gardens.

Mulching

Mulch can be used for a lot of things in the garden.  Some discourage seed germination and help to retain moisture.  During warm weather the soil under cover of mulch stays cooler and retains moisture longer than uncovered ground, which reduces the need for watering. 

I like to think that the best much is free mulch, or as near to free as you can get. So what other benefits does mulching bring?

In winter, heat that rises off the soil is held in place. It's the same as when we sleep under a blanket in an unheated house. During the summer, it's like insulation that keeps the heat out.

Add to its other benefits that mulch aids in erosion control, reduces compaction from rain and foot traffic and releases nutrients.

Some of the biggest criticisms about mulching is that different materials could either steal the earth of nitrogen/put too much nitrogen in the soil, not break down quickly enough and can rot plants. it's interesting to see that mulch doesn't ever "steal" nitrogen, it is just busy doing other things for a short peroid.. Nitrogen is actually just locked in the soil as the microbes use it ingest the rotting much which might not have enough. as the microbes rot the mulch it release the nitrogen back into the soil plus the extra it has obtained from breaking down the mulch. this idea is disclaimed by scientists now though but the debate is still open for nitrogen shortages to temporarily slow down seed germination on the fine layer between the soil and mulch. as i said, there are no easy answers and most gardeners will find out for themselves what works.
 

I think that these issues are overshadowed, not by the mulch itself, but the materials the mulch is placed on around the plants and on paths.  Non-biodegradable plastic, old carpets with nylon thread that tangle up in the fork are the biggest issues as they can get really untidy and make the ground hard to work.

The amount of nutrients available or how quickly they break down varies a lot with different mulches. Compost is quickest to decompose and one of the most nutrient-rich, so that really wouldn’t need a membrane other than a few sheets of newspaper underneath it.

Newspaper

Regardless of the type of mulch, I’d say put down at least 5 to 10 layers of newspaper before spreading. The newspaper lasts longer than you may think, under wood chips over a weedy lawn it can last up to seven years.  Landscape fabric would do the same but you’ll be picking pieces out of the soil for years. Mulch can be used on paths, but keep in mind it’s different to gravel and will need replenishing annually.

Application

When applying mulch, how much depends on which type you're using. Spread finer-textured products such as yard debris compost or mint compost 2-5cm inches deep. Coarser wood products such as bark dust, wood chips and arborist waste can be as deep as 8-10 cm. Try to keep any material at a few cm away from the base of trees, shrubs and woody perennials.

Some Choices

Bark dust. Good weed control but can tie up nitrogen in the soil so not good for plants that aren't established.

Wood chips. Easily available. Lasts a long time. Good weed control but again can tie up nitrogen.

Bark nuggets. Attractive appearance and easily available. Lasts a long time. Good weed control but again it’s a nitrogen thing. It can be expensive if bought in bags too.

Garden/municipal compost. Good source of nutrients. Locally produced.Can promote weed growth. Doesn't last long so might need to be refreshed each year.

Tree leaves. Free and easily available. Good source of nutrients. Not easy to spread to a consistent thickness. Must be mowed or turned to get it to break down in a season.

Sawdust. Good for vegetable paths. Holds down weeds well. Repels moisture because it's so fine. Fresh sawdust isn’t really good for bedding plants.

Coco hulls. Decorative but could be expensive and a bit dangerous for pets. HUGE carbon footprint coming from the other side of the world.

Stray/hay. Great for keeping the strawberries dry, could attract rodents and be a storage space for weed seeds

Grass clippings. Breaks down well and gives nutrients back to the soil. Could get a bit crusty stopping water getting to the soil and if it’s not yours there might be chemical residues.

Leafmold. Straight from the woods this is a great mulch but can have weed seeds in it. Getting permission to dig some up is a bit tricky sometimes. 

My Conclusion

All in all I think mulching works and helps to improve the health and appearance of the garden, although I must confess, I haven’t done any mulching this year apart from throwing a few comfrey leaves around. I have a covering of chickweed instead.

NOTE :   There's research to disprove the locked up nitrogen. check out the bottom JEH25 pdf for more information . https://www.facebook.com/groups/GardenProfessors/files/  Here's the quoted section:

Nitrogen deficiency. A common misconception about
woody mulches is that they impose a nutrient deficiency upon
plant materials. This is based on the fact that woody mulches
have a high C:N ratio and nitrogen will be ‘tied up’ by microbes
during the decomposition process. Furthermore,
woody materials that are used as amendments incorporated
into soil or potting mixes will create zones of nitrogen deficiency,
which is visualized by spindly, chlorotic growth of
plants in these zones.
Experimental research reveals that neither nitrogen immobilization
nor growth suppression occurs as a result of
using woody materials for mulch (51, 100). To the contrary,
many studies have demonstrated that woody mulch materials
actually increase nutrient levels in soils and/or associated
plant foliage (5, 99, 114, 125). A zone of nitrogen deficiency
exists at the mulch/soil interface (Chalker-Scott, unpublished
data), possibly inhibiting weed seed germination while having
no influence upon established plant roots below the soil
surface. For this reason, it is inadvisable to use high C:N
mulches in annual beds or vegetable gardens where the plants
of interest do not have deep root systems.
Pests. Many organic mulches, especially those

Does Mulching Work?

 Thanks to Lori McCarter for the image

Is using mulch around plants and shrubs a good idea?  Like most things in life there are no simple answers, it depends who you talk to.

Personally I would think that generally, yes, mulching around plants is a good idea. There are voices of contradiction in the air though.

What if you put too much fresh mulch like wood shavings around the young plants, would it rot the stems?  Do pests and disease live in the bark put on the paths, were chemicals used in the process that would compromise an organic garden?  I really don’t know and I’m sure we could debate it over many pints in the pub.  

The one thing I would agree with is nature, and how mulching happens naturally in woodlands and wild places.  There’s a balance of decaying matter that helps to both promote new growth and sometimes deter others. Balance, that’s what it’s all about and how we can replicate it in or own gardens.

Mulching

Mulch can be used for a lot of things in the garden.  Some discourage seed germination and help to retain moisture.  During warm weather the soil under cover of mulch stays cooler and retains moisture longer than uncovered ground, which reduces the need for watering. 

I like to think that the best much is free mulch, or as near to free as you can get. So what other benefits does mulching bring?

In winter, heat that rises off the soil is held in place. It's the same as when we sleep under a blanket in an unheated house. During the summer, it's like insulation that keeps the heat out.

Add to its other benefits that mulch aids in erosion control, reduces compaction from rain and foot traffic and releases nutrients.

Some of the biggest criticisms about mulching is that different materials could either steal the earth of nitrogen/put too much nitrogen in the soil, not break down quickly enough and can rot plants. 

I think that these issues are overshadowed, not by the mulch itself, but the materials the mulch is placed on around the plants and on paths.  Non-biodegradable plastic, old carpets with nylon thread that tangle up in the fork are the biggest issues as they can get really untidy and make the ground hard to work.

The amount of nutrients available or how quickly they break down varies a lot with different mulches. Compost is quickest to decompose and one of the most nutrient-rich, so that really wouldn’t need a membrane other than a few sheets of newspaper underneath it.

Newspaper

Regardless of the type of mulch, I’d say put down at least 5 to 10 layers of newspaper before spreading. The newspaper lasts longer than you may think, under wood chips over a weedy lawn it can last up to seven years.  Landscape fabric would do the same but you’ll be picking pieces out of the soil for years. Mulch can be used on paths, but keep in mind it’s different to gravel and will need replenishing annually.

Application

When applying mulch, how much depends on which type you're using. Spread finer-textured products such as yard debris compost or mint compost 2-5cm inches deep. Coarser wood products such as bark dust, wood chips and arborist waste can be as deep as 8-10 cm. Try to keep any material at a few cm away from the base of trees, shrubs and woody perennials.

Some Choices

Bark dust. Good weed control but can tie up nitrogen in the soil so not good for plants that aren't established.

Wood chips. Easily available. Lasts a long time. Good weed control but again can tie up nitrogen.

Bark nuggets. Attractive appearance and easily available. Lasts a long time. Good weed control but again it’s a nitrogen thing. It can be expensive if bought in bags too.

Garden/municipal compost. Good source of nutrients. Locally produced.Can promote weed growth. Doesn't last long so might need to be refreshed each year.

Tree leaves. Free and easily available. Good source of nutrients. Not easy to spread to a consistent thickness. Must be mowed or turned to get it to break down in a season.

Sawdust. Good for vegetable paths. Holds down weeds well. Repels moisture because it's so fine. Fresh sawdust isn’t really good for bedding plants.

Coco hulls. Decorative but could be expensive and a bit dangerous for pets. HUGE carbon footprint coming from the other side of the world.

Stray/hay. Great for keeping the strawberries dry, could attract rodents and be a storage space for weed seeds

Grass clippings. Breaks down well and gives nutrients back to the soil. Could get a bit crusty stopping water getting to the soil and if it’s not yours there might be chemical residues.

Leafmold. Straight from the woods this is a great mulch but can have weed seeds in it. Getting permission to dig some up is a bit tricky sometimes. 

My Conclusion

All in all I think mulching works and helps to improve the health and appearance of the garden, although I must confess, I haven’t done any mulching this year apart from throwing a few comfrey leaves around. I have a covering of chickweed instead.

Ground elder and Fuchsia

I’ve spotted some ground elder in the garden.  I thought I have removed it all when we put the polytunnel up but it looks like I missed a few roots and there’s now quite a row of it along the back plastic of the tunnel.  I should go around there more often but I tend to just let the area do its own thing to attract wildlife. I might need to be a bit more vigilant in future.

Ground elder(Aegopodium podagraria) goes under a few names, gout weed, bishop weed and jump-about are all good names (it’s used as a remedy for gout and sciatica) and the ‘jump about’ one fits when you see where it’s popped up in my garden. It’s an herbaceous, invasive, perennial weed. It spreads via rhizomes (underground stems), which can regenerate from a just a tiny fragment left in the ground, which is what I must have left four years ago.

Ground Elder Habits

Spreading by rhizomes, ground elder can easily creep in from a neighbouring garden or nearby wasteland. It can also be unknowingly introduced with new plants if pieces of its fleshy, white rhizome are hidden within the compost of the rootball or are tucked away among the roots of the plant.

Control

As its rhizomes are close to the surface of the soil, it is possible to reduce infestations of ground elder by removing it carefully with a garden fork or trowel. However, eradicating it completely needs vigilance as the smallest portion of root left in the soil will result in a new plant growing.

Non-chemical control

• Tackling large infestations of ground elder in a well-planted bed can be difficult. To get rid of it completely requires time and patience. Here are some non-chemical approaches:
• Lift cultivated plants and carefully remove and destroy any pieces of ground elder rhizome from around their roots.
• After you are sure it has all been removed, replant your garden plants in clean soil or pots.
• The ground elder can now be evicted by digging, or by covering the ground with black polythene to starve the weed of light. It may take several seasons until the ground elder is completely destroyed. I have found this method to be the least effective as it can grow through a hole the size of a pinhead in the plastic.
• In new lawns, ground elder will usually be starved by repeated mowing, and shouldn’t persist for long.

Fuchsia

 We’ve a few very attractive small fuchsias growing in pots. Some survived the winter as we really didn’t get any frost and some we bought as annual bedding plants. They aren’t the hardy red types, but all come from the same family. 

A Bit of History

The first fuchsia was bought to our attention by Fr Charles Plumier, a French Catholic priest and botanist who came across the plant that is now classified as Fuchsia triphylla while on a plant-hunting expedition in the Dominican Republic in 1695.

He named it in honour of the 16th-century German doctor and herbalist, Leonhart Fuchs. Plumier's samples were lost in a shipwreck, but he published drawings of them in 1703. Most of the plants originate from natives of Central and South America - occurring in the interior of forests or in damp and shady mountainous situations, so they are ideal for our climate. Fuchsias have two natural homes, in Latin America, which is home to 120 or so species, and New Zealand, which has just four.

The first species of fuchsia cultivated in England, where it was long confined to the greenhouse, was brought from South America by Captain Firth in 1788 and placed in Kew Gardens.

Sailors Story

The red flowered hedgerow plant lines many of our roadways. A popular variation and more commonly told story is about a sailor who sailor brought the flower from South America in the late 18th century as a present for his wife. James Lee, a nurseryman, saw it in the couples’ window and persuaded the sailor’s wife to part with it.  From this plant he raised 300 cuttings, which he sold at a guinea each in 1823 which would be €116 euro each in today’s money, a bit more than the 6 for €3 now. I think the plant is often called the Sailors Slip, or I might just be making that up! So like most weeks, don’t believe everything you read.

Other plants-people set to work. By 1842 the first white fuchsia had been raised and the first tricolour appeared in 1872. Since then many varied types have appeared practically every year. The numerous hybrid forms now existing are the result chiefly of the intercrossing of that or other long-flowered with globose flowered plants. You might even have a unique variety in your own garden.

Tree Removal

A treated stump

Sometimes you just have to take drastic action in the garden. 

   

I know I usually spend all of my time trying to spare things in the garden; I’ll even trip up trying to avoid stepping on an ant. But there has come a time when one of the neighbours many self-set ash tree just had to go. 

The trunk of the tree over the years has undermined one of the walls of our garage and has started to push the blocks inwards, cracking the joints. A builder assessed the damage it was doing and labelled it as ‘critical’ it’s not the first time attempt with the tree. Four years ago the main trunk was cut down but because it wasn’t killed off, the side shoots shot up with a vengeance as ash trees actually like being coppiced. These offshoots were again pushing at the garage foundations and are too close and too large for us to dig them out. 

This time, all of the growth has been cut back and plugs have been inserted into drilled holes in the tree. These plugs contain glyphosate mainly so I had to look away as the tree surgeon put them into place. He topped it all off with a bit of tarry looking liquid just for luck. 

These types of plugs are becoming very popular now for tree control and it’s claimed they are less harmful to the environment that some of the more ‘natural’ methods. These can include pouring salt into holes, adding the much overused Epsom salts to all the cracks and crevices, pouring bleach over the stump and the one we see more than any other, a few buckets full of diesel poured everywhere.

Trees can be dealt with either with the foliage in place with sprays, which can cause problems, especially when the wind blows. 

There are some that claim if you use paving right up to the trunk this will kill the tree. Copper or brass nails are sometimes suggested but I have never actually seen that work. It’s a favourite suggestion from people who want to kill a neighbour’s tree without the neighbours knowing. A bit sneaky and thankfully the neighbour and I worked closely together in a friendly manner when this ash tree was taken down. Removing the bark around the diameter of the tree can kill them too so it’s important to keep the strimmer away from young trees in the garden as the thin bark can easily be damaged.

The whole process of removing the tree wasn’t an enjoyable one and to spare me going into more details about how we can kill them off I thought as a mark of respect I would quote the poem by Gieve Patel, which highlights the lengths a tree will go to to survive, after all, ash trees can live to 400 years old. Hopefully in the near future I will be planting a few more trees to offset the loss.

On killing a tree

It takes much time to kill a tree,

Not a simple jab of the knife

Will do it. It has grown

Slowly consuming the earth,

Rising out of it, feeding

Upon its crust, absorbing

Years of sunlight, air, water,

And out of its leprous hide

Sprouting leaves.

So hack and chop

But this alone won’t do it.

Not so much pain will do it.

The bleeding bark will heal

And from close to the ground

Will rise curled green twigs,

Miniature boughs

Which if unchecked will expand again

To former size.

No,

The root is to be pulled out —

Out of the anchoring earth;

It is to be roped, tied,

And pulled out — snapped out

Or pulled out entirely,

Out from the earth-cave,

And the strength of the tree exposed

The source, white and wet,

The most sensitive, hidden

For years inside the earth.

Then the matter

Of scorching and choking

In sun and air,

Browning, hardening,

Twisting, withering,

And then it is done.