User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 4/6/2016 6:10:57 PM EDT
[#1]
Pine and maple are also allelopathic. So is eucalyptus, but that wasn't listed. Cedar will probably last the longest because it has anti-fungal/rot properties. Whatever you choose, just make sure you don't mix the chips in with the soil.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/7/2016 3:43:29 PM EDT
[#2]
I'm leaning toward it's a bad idea. Good place for molds and mildew.
I compost the pine shavings out of the chicken coop but they don't go in the garden for a few years. They get mixed with garbage scraps from the house and turned over periodically. ETA- IIRC they bind up N for a few years until they rot. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/7/2016 3:55:51 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm leaning toward it's a bad idea. Good place for molds and mildew. I compost the pine shavings out of the chicken coop but they don't go in the garden for a few years. They get mixed with garbage scraps from the house and turned over periodically. ETA- IIRC they bind up N for a few years until they rot. Only when mixed in with the soil. On top of the soil it's not a concern. Fungus will help the wood chips break down and are a net beneficial organism. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/8/2016 7:59:30 AM EDT
[#4]
I would use straw. Find a local farmer and he will,probably sell them to you $3 per bale.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/8/2016 8:00:19 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
ETA- IIRC they bind up N for a few years until they rot. Correct. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/8/2016 9:54:43 AM EDT
[#6]
I pile up wood chips of all varieties 8 to 10 inches deep mostly pine and ceder and in less than a year it becomes the most fertile part of the garden.
Google permaculture. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/8/2016 12:06:32 PM EDT
[#7]
We mulch with coarse wood chips over cardboard. Works well. Most of the chips break down over the season. What doesn't break down gets tilled in after the addition of composted manure.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/8/2016 2:20:17 PM EDT
[#8]
We have been leaving chips in a pile for a year or two before use. The first year the piles can get pretty warm as part of decomposition. After that, they get used as general mulch around flower beds, etc.
Nick |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/9/2016 11:15:15 PM EDT
[#9]
I wouldn't. It will tie up major amounts of nitrogen decomposing, Assuming it's a proper wood to begin with, compost it first.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/9/2016 11:29:16 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I wouldn't. It will tie up major amounts of nitrogen decomposing, Assuming it's a proper wood to begin with, compost it first. One again, this is only true if the wood chips get mixed in with the soil. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/10/2016 12:45:05 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Only when mixed in with the soil. On top of the soil it's not a concern. Fungus will help the wood chips break down and are a net beneficial organism. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I'm leaning toward it's a bad idea. Good place for molds and mildew. I compost the pine shavings out of the chicken coop but they don't go in the garden for a few years. They get mixed with garbage scraps from the house and turned over periodically. ETA- IIRC they bind up N for a few years until they rot. Only when mixed in with the soil. On top of the soil it's not a concern. Fungus will help the wood chips break down and are a net beneficial organism. Here's the thing. I understand why you think that. You live in Arizona. 
It's different here. We get 60" of rainfall per year. NOTHING just sits on top of the soil. If you put it on the soil, it immediately begins interacting, because of the moisture in the soil and in the air. Anywhere but the desert, that wood will deplete the nitrogen in the soil. How fast it happens depends on the level of moisture in soil and air. You can lay a treated wood plank on the ground here, and in a few years, it will be gone. An untreated plank will be rotten in two years. In four it will be gone. Those wood chips do not behave the same way in Georgia or Kentucky as they do in Arizona.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/10/2016 12:53:14 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
I was thinking of using wood shavings in my garden. I know I've heard walnut is not good to use. But I have pine, butternut, cedar, aspen, maple and cherry too. Would any of these be a bad choice. Looking to just control weeds and help with holding in moisture. I would not use the butternut. It's in the same family as black walnut. It's Juglans cinerea. Black walnut is Juglans nigra. They both produce juglone (which becomes hydrojuglone) at a higher level than most other trees. Do most trees have an allelopathic effect? Yes. Do MOST trees have it so strongly that you can't mulch with it? No. Of the ones you listed, I would chose the pine and the cedar, then the maple, in that order. I mulch with wood all the time. But I take steps to make sure there's enough nitrogen available to the plants when I do it, and that's quite a bit more than you'd think, in my experience. You can't OVERDO the N either, so it becomes a close watch, for me, to make sure the plants are getting enough, but not too much. As always, YMMV.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/10/2016 12:58:48 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Here's the thing. I understand why you think that. You live in Arizona.
It's different here. We get 60" of rainfall per year. NOTHING just sits on top of the soil. If you put it on the soil, it immediately begins interacting, because of the moisture in the soil and in the air. Anywhere but the desert, that wood will deplete the nitrogen in the soil. How fast it happens depends on the level of moisture in soil and air. You can lay a treated wood plank on the ground here, and in a few years, it will be gone. An untreated plank will be rotten in two years. In four it will be gone. Those wood chips do not behave the same way in Georgia as they do in Arizona.
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm leaning toward it's a bad idea. Good place for molds and mildew. I compost the pine shavings out of the chicken coop but they don't go in the garden for a few years. They get mixed with garbage scraps from the house and turned over periodically. ETA- IIRC they bind up N for a few years until they rot. Only when mixed in with the soil. On top of the soil it's not a concern. Fungus will help the wood chips break down and are a net beneficial organism. Here's the thing. I understand why you think that. You live in Arizona.
It's different here. We get 60" of rainfall per year. NOTHING just sits on top of the soil. If you put it on the soil, it immediately begins interacting, because of the moisture in the soil and in the air. Anywhere but the desert, that wood will deplete the nitrogen in the soil. How fast it happens depends on the level of moisture in soil and air. You can lay a treated wood plank on the ground here, and in a few years, it will be gone. An untreated plank will be rotten in two years. In four it will be gone. Those wood chips do not behave the same way in Georgia as they do in Arizona.
I have areas that I water the crap out of there is no difference. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/10/2016 1:04:16 PM EDT
[#14]
I appreciate all the thoughts on this. I guess I'll stick to weeding as needed during the season. It's not a very big area anyway. Glad I asked
 |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/10/2016 1:05:22 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have areas that I water the crap out of there is no difference. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm leaning toward it's a bad idea. Good place for molds and mildew. I compost the pine shavings out of the chicken coop but they don't go in the garden for a few years. They get mixed with garbage scraps from the house and turned over periodically. ETA- IIRC they bind up N for a few years until they rot. Only when mixed in with the soil. On top of the soil it's not a concern. Fungus will help the wood chips break down and are a net beneficial organism. Here's the thing. I understand why you think that. You live in Arizona.
It's different here. We get 60" of rainfall per year. NOTHING just sits on top of the soil. If you put it on the soil, it immediately begins interacting, because of the moisture in the soil and in the air. Anywhere but the desert, that wood will deplete the nitrogen in the soil. How fast it happens depends on the level of moisture in soil and air. You can lay a treated wood plank on the ground here, and in a few years, it will be gone. An untreated plank will be rotten in two years. In four it will be gone. Those wood chips do not behave the same way in Georgia as they do in Arizona.
I have areas that I water the crap out of there is no difference. What is your average humidity level during the growing season? |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/10/2016 1:12:54 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I appreciate all the thoughts on this. I guess I'll stick to weeding as needed during the season. It's not a very big area anyway. Glad I asked Don't be afraid of it. Just know you have to manage it going in, and don't use the butternut.
Maybe try it on a little area and see how it does? 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/12/2016 1:32:48 PM EDT
[#17]
I use alfalfa as mulch in my no till garden and have bee using it for about 5 years now. As it breaks down it will add about 4% N to your soil. I try and always keep 6 inches down. I will be spreading out 2 bales tonight in my garden as I just put my tomatoes in a few weeks back and it's time to top of my mulch. I pull zero weeds in my garden and its holds moisture in great if you keep 6-8 inches down.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/12/2016 1:57:23 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I use alfalfa as mulch in my no till garden and have bee using it for about 5 years now. As it breaks down it will add about 4% N to your soil. I try and always keep 6 inches down. I will be spreading out 2 bales tonight in my garden as I just put my tomatoes in a few weeks back and it's time to top of my mulch. I pull zero weeds in my garden and its holds moisture in great if you keep 6-8 inches down. Do you ever get weed seeds using the alfalfa? I use straw for mulch. Usually I don't get many seeds germinating but this last batch I had quite a few germinate. Not a huge deal because they are easy to pull in my raised beds but it would be better if I didn't have to bother. I think my latest batch may have also been contaminated with a persistent, broad leaf pesticide as it killed quite a few of my tomatoes and pepper plants but did so only where it was in contact with the leaves and stems above ground. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/12/2016 2:08:15 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Do you ever get weed seeds using the alfalfa? I use straw for mulch. Usually I don't get many seeds germinating but this last batch I had quite a few germinate. Not a huge deal because they are easy to pull in my raised beds but it would be better if I didn't have to bother. I think my latest batch may have also been contaminated with a persistent, broad leaf pesticide as it killed quite a few of my tomatoes and pepper plants but did so only where it was in contact with the leaves and stems above ground. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I use alfalfa as mulch in my no till garden and have bee using it for about 5 years now. As it breaks down it will add about 4% N to your soil. I try and always keep 6 inches down. I will be spreading out 2 bales tonight in my garden as I just put my tomatoes in a few weeks back and it's time to top of my mulch. I pull zero weeds in my garden and its holds moisture in great if you keep 6-8 inches down. Do you ever get weed seeds using the alfalfa? I use straw for mulch. Usually I don't get many seeds germinating but this last batch I had quite a few germinate. Not a huge deal because they are easy to pull in my raised beds but it would be better if I didn't have to bother. I think my latest batch may have also been contaminated with a persistent, broad leaf pesticide as it killed quite a few of my tomatoes and pepper plants but did so only where it was in contact with the leaves and stems above ground. I've had this trouble before, not only with straw (FULL of Johnsongrass seeds that I didn't see until I'd already spread it.  ) But also with the leaf mold compost sold by the university here. They hadn't managed it right to kill the seeds and it was an awful mess. It turned me off of both. 
I'd love to try the alfalfa, and my garden is small enough that it would make sense. It's REALLY expensive here though. 
I bet you're right. They'd sprayed it with a broadleaf herbicide. OR if it was wheat straw...could've been Roundup Ready wheat. It's not supposed to persist, but I've seen evidence to the contrary in some cases. Nothing I could prove and no science to back that up. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/22/2016 11:18:51 PM EDT
[#20]
Sorry for the late reply I just back in from a much needed vacation to Maui. As far as me mulching with alfalfa and weeds. I put down 2 bales a year in my garden, it's amazing that it gets broken down so fast. Anyways as long as I have 6 inches down I have zero weed issues, I can't even remember the last time I had to pull a weed. The one time I did have some issues I let it get thin in an area that I walked on alot and I had some weeds poke through but they got killed quick and mulched over.
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
