Re: mulch

Doxiadis/Malefakis wrote:
> 
> What is the group-wisdom on pine-needles used as mulch?
> I have been prevented from using them even though we have plenty on our
> grounds because local folk wisdom (Greek) has it that it leaches into
> the soil and kills everything around it.  The same goes for Cypress
> sheddings.
> Any useful arguments that I can counter this with?

In 1997 Organic Gardening Magazine reported an experiment at the Fort
Valley State College in Georgia USA where a soil which was mulched for
two years with 3 inches of pine needles without any change in the pH
(6.8 at the start and end of the experiment), so it appears local folk
wisdom has got it wrong.

Furthermore, not only did the pH remain the same, but far from killing
plants it actually _improved_ growth. For example eggplants with the
pine needle mulch produced 20% more fruit than unmulched plants. 

I have also read elsewhere that they make an excellent mulch for
strawberries helping to keep them free of grey mould fungus.

I have myself use cypress shreddings and duff from under cypresses for
mulching ornamentals and have been very happy with the results.

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, 
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
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