"Archimedes Plutonium" wrote in message
...
Tried finding out some data on asphalt roof shingles as to whether they
are good for plants or bad. The Internet is mixed on this question. A
University says that tar is toxic to plants. But that does not make
sense relative to the known fact that each year now I receive baby trees
grown in tar-paper pots.

What brings me to this issue is the fact that I have about 50 bundles of
unused asphalt shingles. I have several options-- 1) sell them cheap to
get rid of 2) haul them to the dump 3) use them as a mulch or ground
cover in the tree windbreak and perhaps elsewhere in the gardens.

So, what is the straight truth about asphalt shingles relative to
plants? Are they toxic. Or do they help plants in providing acidity and
micronutrients to the soil as well as acting as a mulch.

If I recall, raspberries seemed to love the soil where trash and tires
and shingles were dumped.

So who is correct, the college professor who says tar and asphalt is
toxic to plants or the commonsense inference that since tar-paper pots
are normally used with plants says it is beneficial to plants.

I suspect the tar in asphalt shingles provides much needed sulfur to the
soil and makes a base-pH more acid pH.

The science literature on tar in soil is contradictory.

Archimedes Plutonium
www.archimedesplutonium.com
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies


I have plenty of grass growing thru cracks in the asphalt road and path
outside my place, and many weeds besides. Also there is lichen growning on
my slate roof.

We used power kerosine (a high-aromatic solvent) to kill weeds in the old
days, but asphalt has lost all its aromatic solvents due to evaporation.

Don't forget that asphalt and tar are two different things, the former from
pertoleum and thelatter from coal.