Seems that the internet is split on this. Some people say that it secretes toxins that will hurt other plants, and is not good for use in the veggie garden. Others say that the toxins idea is bogus, and that the mulch works great as a moisture retainer and bug repellent.
Anybody here with first hand experience on this one?
An Internet search on "eucalyptus allelopathy" finds at least one scientific investigation showing that, indeed, eucalyptus "leaf litter" will inhibit agricultural crops.
The particular study whose abstract I read, however, did *not* address mulch from eucalyptus wood/bark.
However, I have lived in the SF Bay Area for over (OMG
) 30 years. I was here for, among other historic events, the Oakland Firestorm in October 1991. Analysis of contributing factors showed that overpopulation of eucalyptus, an imported exotic, as well as Monterey pine, another one, helped destroy neighborhoods which, absent these trees, could probably have been saved.
The trees, rich with oil, acted like torches once the flames reached them, exploding in a "crown effect" which made water-carrying helicopters useless except to contain the fire, not control it.
So I have a certain reluctance to recommend eucalyptus for anything these days unless it's in Australia, their native land.
What are the benefits to you of this mulch? Is it free? Is it from a friend and thus tricky to decline? Is it ***guaranteed*** not to sprout/germinate?
The status of eucalyptus changed dramatically after 1991. Many of these trees have now been summarily removed from the East Bay hills as fire hazards and have been replaced with seedlings of (I think) live oak, a California native which is drought-resistant, like the eucalyptus.
Happy gardening and good luck with your veggies.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
The particular study whose abstract I read, however, did *not* address mulch from eucalyptus wood/bark.
However, I have lived in the SF Bay Area for over (OMG
) 30 years. I was here for, among other historic events, the Oakland Firestorm in October 1991. Analysis of contributing factors showed that overpopulation of eucalyptus, an imported exotic, as well as Monterey pine, another one, helped destroy neighborhoods which, absent these trees, could probably have been saved.The trees, rich with oil, acted like torches once the flames reached them, exploding in a "crown effect" which made water-carrying helicopters useless except to contain the fire, not control it.
So I have a certain reluctance to recommend eucalyptus for anything these days unless it's in Australia, their native land.
What are the benefits to you of this mulch? Is it free? Is it from a friend and thus tricky to decline? Is it ***guaranteed*** not to sprout/germinate?
The status of eucalyptus changed dramatically after 1991. Many of these trees have now been summarily removed from the East Bay hills as fire hazards and have been replaced with seedlings of (I think) live oak, a California native which is drought-resistant, like the eucalyptus.
Happy gardening and good luck with your veggies.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
The mulch is attractive to me because,
1) Natural insect repellent (pill-bugs are back again, and they, along with the grasshoppers from a nearby soccer field have been munching on my plants at night
2) My veggies are currently miserable mid-day, and that is with heavy morning watering, so I need to add something that is good with moisture retention
3) Looks very nice
4) Cheap and easily available for me
I tried newspaper and that didn't help at all with the mid-day drooping. I wanted to try pine needles, but after calling around to several places, I am convinced that we somehow can't purchase any here in the city. At least not at the places that I know of. I figured that the bonus of keeping insects away with the eucalyptus was enough reason to look into it further.
1) Natural insect repellent (pill-bugs are back again, and they, along with the grasshoppers from a nearby soccer field have been munching on my plants at night
2) My veggies are currently miserable mid-day, and that is with heavy morning watering, so I need to add something that is good with moisture retention
3) Looks very nice
4) Cheap and easily available for me
I tried newspaper and that didn't help at all with the mid-day drooping. I wanted to try pine needles, but after calling around to several places, I am convinced that we somehow can't purchase any here in the city. At least not at the places that I know of. I figured that the bonus of keeping insects away with the eucalyptus was enough reason to look into it further.
Looks like I will have to be the guinea pig on this one.
I scrounged up some needles from around the one pine I have out front (what looked like a little actually went a long way). Did half of the pepper garden with that. For the other half I put down Eucalyptus Mulch.
A "Mulch Shootout" of sorts. I will report my findings.
I scrounged up some needles from around the one pine I have out front (what looked like a little actually went a long way). Did half of the pepper garden with that. For the other half I put down Eucalyptus Mulch.
A "Mulch Shootout" of sorts. I will report my findings.
One week update:
Both the pine needles and the eucalyptus mulch are helping tremendously with my watering schedule. Instead of 3 times a day, I am now getting away with a single morning watering. YAY! No more mid-afternoon dry-drooping, and all of the plants are MUCH happier. I saw exceptional growth this week.
I am not seeing any major differences between the two at this point. The eucalyptus mulch does not seem to be harming it's half of the garden at all. Unfortunately though, it does not seem to keep the bugs away any better than the pine needles. It definitely looks good, and if things continue to grow well, I may have to purchase more of it for my other gardens.
Here is a picture from Friday:
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/2008/DSC02109.jpg[/img]
I hope this info helps someone, I will update with any new findings as the season progresses.
Both the pine needles and the eucalyptus mulch are helping tremendously with my watering schedule. Instead of 3 times a day, I am now getting away with a single morning watering. YAY! No more mid-afternoon dry-drooping, and all of the plants are MUCH happier. I saw exceptional growth this week.
I am not seeing any major differences between the two at this point. The eucalyptus mulch does not seem to be harming it's half of the garden at all. Unfortunately though, it does not seem to keep the bugs away any better than the pine needles. It definitely looks good, and if things continue to grow well, I may have to purchase more of it for my other gardens.
Here is a picture from Friday:
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/2008/DSC02109.jpg[/img]
I hope this info helps someone, I will update with any new findings as the season progresses.
Thank you Cynthia. I have been eating tomatoes every day, they are quite yummy this year.
The rectangle is for my golf practice. It is a standard driving range mat surrounded by "Foreverlawn Select VR" synthetic turf, which is a great turf for simulating golf course "rough".
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/Teebox%20and%20bunker/DSC02278.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/Teebox%20and%20bunker/DSC02277.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/Teebox%20and%20bunker/DSC02420.jpg[/img]
I am still working on the sand trap.
The rectangle is for my golf practice. It is a standard driving range mat surrounded by "Foreverlawn Select VR" synthetic turf, which is a great turf for simulating golf course "rough".
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/Teebox%20and%20bunker/DSC02278.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/Teebox%20and%20bunker/DSC02277.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll294/505zoom/Garden/Teebox%20and%20bunker/DSC02420.jpg[/img]
I am still working on the sand trap.
