Re: stump of a huge pin oak
Peggy Enes <peggy@unicom.net> wrote:
> It was my understanding that wood chip mulches only rob nitrogen from
> the soil surface where the wood chips contact the soil directly, not
> deeper in the soil around the plants' feeder roots. After the mulch
> breaks down it returns the nitrogen back to the soil. I thought
> nitrogen deficits were only of concern when incorporating wood chips
> into the soil as an amendment or with mulching very tiny seedlings. Am
> I mistaken?
No, you are not mistaken. .... Mostly. The qualification is
that in many cases the _temporary_ nitrogen loss is minimal in
both cases.
Brief & oversimplified explanation: The nitrogen loss is caused
by the process of organic matter breaking down. It is returned
as the wood chips (in this case) become humus. Therefore Peggy,
your point about the chips which contact the soil directly,
whether they are on top or incorporated, is correct ~ that is
where the decomposition process will occur. (There will be some
with a pure wood chip pile, of course, but it is far slower.)
My caveat is this: I do both. I mix chips into the soil and
use a rather think layer as mulch. I have never encountered a
measurable nitrogen loss. I have experimented with this some
because I keep hearing about the great nitrogen loss. I don't
know. My experiments have hardly been as rigorous as I would
make them if I were deadon serious about it so I haven't been
able to determine the causal factors. Maybe the soil tilth,
composition, drainage or other factors are the determinants of
amount of nitrogen loss.
I have been intending to do some research, but I'm unable to
find the time recently.
IMHO, nitrogen is very readily adjusted upward should the plants
indicate that they are needing more; your plants will tell you
what they want most of the time. I would never stop using one
of the best soil amendments ~ incorporated or as mulch ~ just
because I need to provide a little more nitrogen. Makes no
sense to me, particularly for perennials. With some
exceptions, they ain't like veggies in their vigorous demands
for nutrients.
Jaime
"I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive."
A. Einstein
jknoble@warwick.net
Z6/5, NW NJ
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