"symplastless" wrote in message
. ..
Rich

In MODERN ARBORICULTURE we compost our tree trimmings that have been
chipped. When we say composted tree trimmings we mean that the material
has sat in a pile for at least a year. The stuff I use and sell is 2,3,
or even 4 years old. It has a nice dark color acquired by the composting
process. I do not use dyed mulch. The compost meaning that the living
parenchyma cells have dies and the contents of the cells are digested.
I.e., the parenchyma cells that made up the sapwood at time of trimming.
The problem with using fresh chips is that the protoplasm from the inside
of the parenchyma cells gets smeared all over the place. This protoplasm
attracts undesirables that can and do do nasty things to trees above as
well as below ground. This could cause disease. The microorganisms
attracted to protoplasm are those that attract defense cells in trees.
Now, the webwork of living parenchyma cells in trees (all parts of a tree
are born alive) is collectively and correctly termed the "symplast". The
cells are connected and can conduct electricity, thus the SHIGOMETER (a
pulsed uhm meter) comes into play. Now the more composted the wood chips,
leaves and needles the better. The more composted the less chances of
artillery fungus on your house or structure. I cannot mention mulch
without some lucid instruction.

Whilst I agree with you. Sometimes there's not enough space in the garden to
store the fresh tree mulch.

I pruned back a row of pine tree hedges about 6 months back. There was just
way too much mulch for the compost pile. I stacked as much as i could in
that pile and for the rest - I ended up piling a lot of the fresh mulch onto
parts of the garden beds which I consider - secondary - meaning if the
plants there die - it don't matter.

What happened was that the margurite daises are doing well. In fact, the
compost piles went ok. Didn't kill anything - and helped to supress the
weeds if i piled a layer three inches thick.

However, there was a massive bloom of yellow flowering clovers -
particularly in areas where the mulch was the thinest. Perhaps the mulch had
a rich store of nitrogen.