In the News - July 2009
Homespun advice from a veteran county agent
Mulch ado about gardening
BENTONVILLE, Ark. - One side effect of the winter ice storm is the abundance
of chipped and shredded dead, damaged and broken tree limbs. Should you have
access to this bounty, it may prove to be a benefit or an aggravation, depending
on how you use it.
Shredded hardwood material is commonly used as mulch around landscaped areas,
perennial vegetable and fruit plantings. As summer and utility bills remind us,
any mulched area will save on the water bill while making every day a good day
for plants.
Since it contains a lot of finer material from the presence of leaves,
branches and twigs this type of material can degrade fairly rapidly, serving to
add benefit to the soil. Because of the more rapid decomposition rate or perhaps
from being blown or washed away by wind and rain, this material may require more
frequent replacement than other hardwood mulch.
Two other negatives of this hardwood material come to mind based on use and
observation. One is that numerous types of native plant seedlings, including
poison ivy, may emerge within the mulched area. Because of the loose nature of
mulch, these plants are no trouble to remove as long as you do so initially,
rather than waiting a year.
The second negative is that decaying hardwood welcomes the presence of
various types of fungi growth. Fortunately, these fungal growths are part of
nature’s way of decomposing organic materials, just as they are within any
compost system, therefore are beneficial to the soil and basically harmless as
long as left alone. You may see a number of odd growths emerge above the mulch;
some may appear as a standard mushroom while others seem like the spot where the
dog left yesterday’s lunch. There is no practical treatment for eliminating
them, nor should there be.
Hardwood mulch should only be used for surface application, which is the idea
most of us have in mind. Soil incorporation of mulch or sawdust materials will
usually create a temporary nitrogen shortage around plants. Keep in mind there
are more suitable materials for incorporating into soils for improving both soil
texture and plant nutrition.
I’ve used truckloads of shredded tree limbs and even stockpile the stuff when
available, but I continue to learn to live with its negative side. Most
importantly, I know to remove poison ivy seedlings from the plant beds each
spring before my wife spots them. Til’ next week!
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of
Agriculture. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to
all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion,
gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally
protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
July 2, 2009
By: Robert Seay
Benton County Extension Agent Staff Chair
Media Contact: Elizabeth Fortune
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
efortune@uaex.edu
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