Re: Wood chip mulch

N Sterman wrote:
I have a lovely pile of wood chips (pine) that came from a huge limb of my Torrey Pine tree. Any suggestions as to how long I need to let it age before spreading it as mulch?
Nan
You already have had three differing views of this. In terms of my local experience I side with Francisco and say put it on right away as long as you leave it on the surface. I regularly do this with various chippings from my own garden and find they can make good mulch for a while, but if they include any young (Ramiel) wood with a lot of live tissue they already have enough nitrogen in them to bring about pretty quick breakdown (faster still if, like Bruce, you even add blood and bone). Old wood which is mostly carbon anyway will last longer, but if left on the surface is unlikely to rob the soil of nitrogen. This is the way forests are fed in nature and it ensures the rate at which the material is introduced to the soil organisms is pretty slow. Only if you dig it in can they get at it more swiftly and completely and then they will be looking for more N right away to help process all the goodies.

The matter of the termites however had not occurred to me. I was all too familiar with the problem in Africa, but it is very rare in NZ where a few sporadic infestations have occurred in the far north only. The rest of the country is too cold. I am not quite sure where you live and so I don't know if this is a matter you need to consider.
--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ. Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
NEW PICTURES AND DIAGRAMS ADDED 20/Feb/2005


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