Mulching Gardens

[opabinia51]

Taking some stuff fron an old thread and starting a new one.

Here is what not to use as bark mulch: Opabinia

I like mulch as long as it's a good one. Bad mulch causes more problems than it solves...

Scott

[opabinia51]

I'm guessing that you are referring to sour mulch and diseased mulch? If so, that can be solved by being picky about what things to mulch and also making sure that it gets enough oxygen.

[opabinia51]

Sure that and hardwood or old palletts chopped up and died red. Wanna lock up all your nitrogen?

Scott

[opabinia51]

A lot of "mulch" sold today is just what I said and horrible as a garden additive as the organisms that break down hardwood also consume nitrogen, robbing your plants (or that's been my understanding; if you have light to shed on this I'd be glad to listen, but I've observed the phenomenon first hand...)

[opabinia51]

No, I just couldn't put your words into context and didn't know what you were saying. Thanks for clarifying what you said.

Since reading your previous note I did bunch of searching on mulching and couldn't really find anything related to what you said. I agree with the wood. I tend to only mulch things like leaves and such. I guess their really needs to be a fine definition of what mulch really is because I have read that people use manure as a mulch.
From my perspective mulch is something that you have broken apart (be it wood chips, leaves, chopped up plant material....) and placed over your garden. In essence, what is happening over time is composting.

[opabinia51]

I'd agree Opa, but the "new" definition usually involves chopped up palletts and Red Dye #5. I'm just trying to deliniate between good mulch you are talking about and the cr*p everybody else wants to out in their garden.

I am blessed as my town tub grinds all garden waste together and gives it to residents free. Sure, some wood, but so much other varied organic content that it works fine...

Scott

[opabinia51]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Cr*p I'm guessing that you are referring to the weeds? Or are you talking about weeds, leaves, seweed and the like?

[opabinia51]

No the cr*p everybody else is actually paying extra for is that horrid red mulch that outcolors the plants, or is everyone in your neighborhood sophisticated enough to give that poop the pass?

Scott

[opabinia51]

Actually, my neighbours (Canadian Spelling) don't mulch their gardens. My mother does and she uses what I think you are talking about though. When I worked on grounds maintenance at a local gov't institution we used it there as well. (if it is what I am thinking of). Nasty stuff to work with and it doesn't really do that great of a job at keeping weeds down. Also, it is very flammible. They were renovating the warehouses on the compound and some guy was welding on the roof, the sparks lit the mulch on fire and we had a little emergency on our hands.
I won't ever have that problem with my home made mulch. And my mulch makes the best soil that anyone ever saw!!!

On the topic of coffee grounds, I have decided to fill a 5 galllon bucket with them and put them in the area where I will be growing heirloom corn this year.

[opabinia51]

Yup, that's the stuff...

Bad for the garden and bad for the visual...

WHY?

Scott

[opabinia51]

All I know is that for three consectutive summers, I spent the end of every day plucking out slivers from my hands and arms for several hours every night after work. I hated working with that stuff. And when you spread four or five dumptruck loads over an area of 26 acres... you have to use a backhoe... and the dust gets into your shirt and itches your back. It's horrible CR@P and I will NEVER EVER put it my gardens.

[opabinia51]

And yet it remains the best seller, even commanding more money at some (less scrupulous) garden centers...

WHY WHY WHY ?

[Guest]

Bags of dyed shredded wood pallets sold as mulch remain as popular as salt based blue powdered fertilizer because the average gardener assumes that if a product is sold in most nurseries and big box stores it must be safe. Most gardeners can't grasp the concept that plants and soil contain life-so possible concern with dyed mulch and sodium based fertilizers aren't even going to be on their radar. In fairness, as with most garden products only years of research can reveal problems.

Thus, the beauty of garden forums. Word spreads that red dyed mulch is toxic to soil, fish, and water supply. That sodium based fertilizers and preen build up in the soil and can over time damage mature tree roots, especially maples. If enough gardeners are convinced to avoid a harmful product, the store isn't going to carry a slow move item and the manufacturer isn't going to waste capital on a product that doesn't sell. Only by word of mouth thru garden clubs, master gardeners, landscape companies and garden writers will the general gardening public become aware of poor products.

In the U.S. consumers need only read the back of a mulch bag to know if it contains dye or shredded wood pallets. Some brown mulches are also dyed. If a bag doesn't state the origin of contents - notify the store manager and make a report to your local Ag agency.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Good advice there...

I've said it before and I'll say it again; just because it's for sale doesn't mean it's SAFE!

Scott

[grandpasrose]

What is this red dyed mulch? I don't think I've seen it. Sounds like I'm lucky!
VAL

[The Helpful Gardener]

One of the banes of my existance; this horribly loud red mulch made from chopped up palletts (usually oak, so the fresh hardwood locks up ALL available nitrogen). Then the color washes, so they put down another layer...then another...and another...and five years down the road the plants are shrinking cuz they haven't seen nitrogen in half a decade, the water is running off because there are five distinct stratas, all shedding water like a duck's back...

BAD STUFF!

HG

[grandpasrose]

I don't think we must have it here, because I haven't seen anyone use it. We are red lava rock mining community, so that's what you see in everyone's yard here. Probably just as ugly, but probably not as detrimental. I prefer to use my own natural mulches that I find myself - I usually don't have to buy any materials.
VAL

[Grey]

Oh, yes, that chip bark mulch is EVERYWHERE around here. You can get cypress, cedar and oak, in red dyed or natural colors. ugghhhhh.

[grandpasrose]

We have the bark mulch here, cause we're a mill town, but I've never seen it dyed red!
VAL

[The Helpful Gardener]

Supposed to look like redwood; it TOTALLY detracts from the plant color (Had to use it one year at the Hartford FLower Show and so many designers raised a stink that some even brought in their own. Never happened again... )

HG

[grandpasrose]

Well - I guess so!!
VAL

[opabinia51]

Personally, I will never, ever, ever, EVER use any sort of bark mulch. I just really don't like the stuff. But, that is just a personal preference.

[The Helpful Gardener]

I like bark mulch if it's the right stuff. Going cheap is a mistake, but I have had wonderful experiences with softwood mixes and, most notably, aged pinebark, to name two. Just stay away from the hardwood...

HG

[grandpasrose]

I guess that's why I haven't heard of much of a problem with it, as we don't have a lot of hard woods up here. The closest we have to a hard wood in any volume is birch. Our bark mulch is all pine, fir, and cedar, straight from the mill!
VAL

[opabinia51]

Cedar is the main bark mulch that people get down here. I don't like the stuff because it is full of slivers and the acid content really irritates my skin. Anyway, you all know my opinion of wood mulches.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Opa, if it's not at the end of the twig, you could care less...

How am I doing so far?

The Less Than Helpful Gardener

[opabinia51]

I'm missing something with your joke but, I guess if you had to explain it, it would ruin the joke. I did laugh at the "less than helpful gardener" part though.

Oh, and you're doing .....fine?

[frogesque]

I've seen dyed; red, blue and green wood chips for sale as mulch but the only stuff I have used for weed control is composted bark. Its a forestry waste product, fairly acid and smells gorgeous. Great for a woodland area and rhodes, azaleas and hydrangeas do well with it.

[opabinia51]

Thanks for your input Frog. Outside opinions always welcome!