New shredding as mulch?
 

I'm about to do a lot of cutting down of shrubs etc. I will shred most
of it. Usually, I use the shreddings either as surfacing for the path
by the greenhouse, or I put them in the compost heap.

Question: is there any harm in just applying all shreddings straight to
the soil in the borders, as a mulch? That is, fresh from the shredder?

Ta
John

New shredding as mulch?
 

On 25/7/06 10:57, in article
, "John"
wrote:

I'm about to do a lot of cutting down of shrubs etc. I will shred most
of it. Usually, I use the shreddings either as surfacing for the path
by the greenhouse, or I put them in the compost heap.

Question: is there any harm in just applying all shreddings straight to
the soil in the borders, as a mulch? That is, fresh from the shredder?

Ta
John

In the archives there's quite a bit of info on this. But basically new bark
chippings take nutrients from the soil as they rot down and this can cause
shrubs to become chlorotic. When we do that sort of shredding here, we pile
the chippings up in a corner for a year and then use them.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

New shredding as mulch?
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 25/7/06 10:57, in article
, "John"
wrote:

I'm about to do a lot of cutting down of shrubs etc. I will shred most
of it. Usually, I use the shreddings either as surfacing for the path
by the greenhouse, or I put them in the compost heap.

Question: is there any harm in just applying all shreddings straight to
the soil in the borders, as a mulch? That is, fresh from the shredder?

Ta
John

In the archives there's quite a bit of info on this. But basically new
bark
chippings take nutrients from the soil as they rot down and this can cause
shrubs to become chlorotic. When we do that sort of shredding here, we
pile
the chippings up in a corner for a year and then use them.

if it is twiggy material and green leaves, that will carry with it enough
nitrogen to avoid that however most likely eh.

rob

New shredding as mulch?
 

On 25/7/06 11:11, in article , "George.com"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip
In the archives there's quite a bit of info on this. But basically new
bark
chippings take nutrients from the soil as they rot down and this can cause
shrubs to become chlorotic. When we do that sort of shredding here, we
pile
the chippings up in a corner for a year and then use them.

if it is twiggy material and green leaves, that will carry with it enough
nitrogen to avoid that however most likely eh.

Sorry, no idea. Twiggy material is still wood, bark etc. so I can't see
that will make a difference. But I don't know if the greenery left will be
sufficient to overcome the effects of the rotting bark. Possibly not, as
there's almost certain to be more wood than leaf.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

New shredding as mulch?
 

"John" wrote in message
...
I'm about to do a lot of cutting down of shrubs etc. I will shred most
of it. Usually, I use the shreddings either as surfacing for the path
by the greenhouse, or I put them in the compost heap.

Question: is there any harm in just applying all shreddings straight to
the soil in the borders, as a mulch? That is, fresh from the shredder?

I've done it with no problem. I've used it on brassica beds and, especially,
to top up container grown potatoes. I don't have flower borders though and
my veg plots are liberally fertilised through the winter by our chickens :-)

Yes, I know you're not supposed to do that either but it raised the
fertility of the garden so much that we decided to make the most of it and
grow vegetables seriously rather than haphazardly. We have great crops!

Mary