I have a fairly large area of rough ground so I decided to cover it with
wood chips. I am using wood chips for horse bedding so I have plenty and it
keeps on coming. Fungi has started to grow there which is attractive but I
am looking for something else that is preferably evergreen and would ground
cover quickly. Any bright ideas anyone, the area is under trees but getting
a pretty dappled light.
Does anyone want any for use as mulch etc.

kate
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

On 2013-04-29 11:49:29 +0100, Kate Morgan said:

I have a fairly large area of rough ground so I decided to cover it
with wood chips. I am using wood chips for horse bedding so I have
plenty and it keeps on coming. Fungi has started to grow there which is
attractive but I am looking for something else that is preferably
evergreen and would ground cover quickly. Any bright ideas anyone, the
area is under trees but getting a pretty dappled light.
Does anyone want any for use as mulch etc.

kate
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

There are loads of different Vincas which would probably do that job
but my favourite is the not-too-thuggish Vinca minor Gertrude Jekyll.
If it doesn't spread enough for you, you could look at some of the
others, like V oxyloba but they really do spread!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 29/04/2013 11:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-04-29 11:49:29 +0100, Kate Morgan said:

I have a fairly large area of rough ground so I decided to cover it
with wood chips. I am using wood chips for horse bedding so I have
plenty and it keeps on coming. Fungi has started to grow there which
is attractive but I am looking for something else that is preferably
evergreen and would ground cover quickly. Any bright ideas anyone, the
area is under trees but getting a pretty dappled light.
Does anyone want any for use as mulch etc.

kate
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

There are loads of different Vincas which would probably do that job but
my favourite is the not-too-thuggish Vinca minor Gertrude Jekyll. If it
doesn't spread enough for you, you could look at some of the others,
like V oxyloba but they really do spread!

Why not underplant with Ferns

On 29/04/2013 11:49, Kate Morgan wrote:
I have a fairly large area of rough ground so I decided to cover it with
wood chips. I am using wood chips for horse bedding so I have plenty and
it keeps on coming. Fungi has started to grow there which is attractive
but I am looking for something else that is preferably evergreen and
would ground cover quickly. Any bright ideas anyone, the area is under
trees but getting a pretty dappled light.
Does anyone want any for use as mulch etc.

kate
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire




Hardy Geraniums would be very pretty and give you flowers and leaf
cover. Evergreen ferns would be good (as David has said) and look
wonderful with the fungi. For late winter interest you could try
Epimediums and Pulmonaria. The lighter coloured Hellebores would give
you a handsome splash of colour in spring. If the soil is sufficiently
acid there (with the aid of horse manure, I'm thinking), you could try
some of the smaller Rhododendrons. Although not evergreen, one really
good hydrangea would look great in the summer months.

Just to add an extra (non-evergreen) layer, have you considered some of
the stronger bulbs, such as Snowflakes (Leucojum),Cammassia and Martagon
Lillies?

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Thank you everyone, some brilliant ideas for me to think about. Just one
more question if I may, does the depth of the chippings make much if any
difference.



On 29/04/2013 11:49, Kate Morgan wrote:
I have a fairly large area of rough ground so I decided to cover it with
wood chips. I am using wood chips for horse bedding so I have plenty and
it keeps on coming. Fungi has started to grow there which is attractive
but I am looking for something else that is preferably evergreen and
would ground cover quickly. Any bright ideas anyone, the area is under
trees but getting a pretty dappled light.
Does anyone want any for use as mulch etc.

kate
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

On 30/04/2013 09:37, Kate Morgan wrote:
Thank you everyone, some brilliant ideas for me to think about. Just one
more question if I may, does the depth of the chippings make much if any
difference.



Yes, depth of chippings can make a difference. If you think of it as a
deep mulch, then it can be between 2 to 4", but should not closely
encircle any plant's stem or crown such that it would be likely to cause
rotting.
Also, the chippings will need to be scraped back to expose the soil
while you're planting. If you incorporate the woody chippings into the
soil, then it will begin to deplete the soil's nitrogen. It will happen
anyway to a lesser extent as the surface mulch breaks down. See how the
plants grow away; you may need to add fertiliser/manure.




On 29/04/2013 11:49, Kate Morgan wrote:
I have a fairly large area of rough ground so I decided to cover it with
wood chips. I am using wood chips for horse bedding so I have plenty and
it keeps on coming. Fungi has started to grow there which is attractive
but I am looking for something else that is preferably evergreen and
would ground cover quickly. Any bright ideas anyone, the area is under
trees but getting a pretty dappled light.
Does anyone want any for use as mulch etc.

kate
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire





--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 01/05/2013 21:08, Spider wrote:
On 30/04/2013 09:37, Kate Morgan wrote:
Thank you everyone, some brilliant ideas for me to think about. Just one
more question if I may, does the depth of the chippings make much if any
difference.



Yes, depth of chippings can make a difference. If you think of it as a
deep mulch, then it can be between 2 to 4", but should not closely
encircle any plant's stem or crown such that it would be likely to cause
rotting.
Also, the chippings will need to be scraped back to expose the soil
while you're planting. If you incorporate the woody chippings into the
soil, then it will begin to deplete the soil's nitrogen. It will happen
anyway to a lesser extent as the surface mulch breaks down. See how the
plants grow away; you may need to add fertiliser/manure.

I don't go along with the comment about chips around the plant stems,
The stems don't rot off where they are in contact with the earth, and
plant stems pushing up through chippings, be they gravel or wood don't
rot off.
For years I mulched with fresh grass clippings around young shrubs and
around Dahlias out in the field with no harm
The one thing about using grass clippings is that they will smother
small weed seedlings, and later blackbirds scratch around in them
dislodging any weeds that do try to grow.
David @ what has been a surprisingly sunny end of Swansea Bay

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 01/05/2013 21:08, Spider wrote:
On 30/04/2013 09:37, Kate Morgan wrote:
Thank you everyone, some brilliant ideas for me to think about. Just one
more question if I may, does the depth of the chippings make much if any
difference.



Yes, depth of chippings can make a difference. If you think of it as a
deep mulch, then it can be between 2 to 4", but should not closely
encircle any plant's stem or crown such that it would be likely to cause
rotting.
Also, the chippings will need to be scraped back to expose the soil
while you're planting. If you incorporate the woody chippings into the
soil, then it will begin to deplete the soil's nitrogen. It will happen
anyway to a lesser extent as the surface mulch breaks down. See how the
plants grow away; you may need to add fertiliser/manure.

I don't go along with the comment about chips around the plant stems,
The stems don't rot off where they are in contact with the earth, and
plant stems pushing up through chippings, be they gravel or wood don't rot
off.
For years I mulched with fresh grass clippings around young shrubs and
around Dahlias out in the field with no harm
The one thing about using grass clippings is that they will smother small
weed seedlings, and later blackbirds scratch around in them dislodging any
weeds that do try to grow.
David @ what has been a surprisingly sunny end of Swansea Bay

I also use mowings as mulch, not only do they reduce weeds and improve the
soil but they seem to greatly reduce slug damage, I guess the slugs are full
by the time they reach the plant!!

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 01/05/2013 21:26, David Hill wrote:
On 01/05/2013 21:08, Spider wrote:
On 30/04/2013 09:37, Kate Morgan wrote:
Thank you everyone, some brilliant ideas for me to think about. Just one
more question if I may, does the depth of the chippings make much if any
difference.



Yes, depth of chippings can make a difference. If you think of it as a
deep mulch, then it can be between 2 to 4", but should not closely
encircle any plant's stem or crown such that it would be likely to cause
rotting.
Also, the chippings will need to be scraped back to expose the soil
while you're planting. If you incorporate the woody chippings into the
soil, then it will begin to deplete the soil's nitrogen. It will happen
anyway to a lesser extent as the surface mulch breaks down. See how the
plants grow away; you may need to add fertiliser/manure.

I don't go along with the comment about chips around the plant stems,
The stems don't rot off where they are in contact with the earth, and
plant stems pushing up through chippings, be they gravel or wood don't
rot off.
For years I mulched with fresh grass clippings around young shrubs and
around Dahlias out in the field with no harm
The one thing about using grass clippings is that they will smother
small weed seedlings, and later blackbirds scratch around in them
dislodging any weeds that do try to grow.
David @ what has been a surprisingly sunny end of Swansea Bay





The link below warns of 'softening', wather than rotting, but I have
certainly read about rotting and experienced it once, probably over winter.

The link also warns about Honey Fungus with regard to wood chip mulches,
which may affect Kate.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...d=323#section3

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

In article ,
says...

"David Hill" wrote in message
...

For years I mulched with fresh grass clippings around young shrubs and
around Dahlias out in the field with no harm
The one thing about using grass clippings is that they will smother small
weed seedlings, and later blackbirds scratch around in them dislodging any
weeds that do try to grow.


I also use mowings as mulch, not only do they reduce weeds and improve the
soil but they seem to greatly reduce slug damage,

I do the same.

Janet.

more food for thought, thank you all.

kate

snip