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• PRO

  Gary RK May 5, 2011 at 9:03pm

  I think that's true for real mulches, but I'm sure I remember that green mulch was considered counterproductive...Nothing's simple !!
• PRO

  Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care May 5, 2011 at 9:30pm

  Always understood that any green mulch would leach nitrates from soil when decomposing and then release the nitrates when it was fully decomposed.
  
  I suppose it's all down to how nutrient rich the soil is to start with.
  
  I'm not sure on the effects on the pH but am guessing ( and it is a guess ) that it will increase the acidity of the soil as I think this generally occurs adding any organic matter.
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  Chris Auld May 5, 2011 at 9:44pm

  As green waste decomposes it is 'broken down' by bacteria, these bacteria use up nitrogen and create acidic conditions, thats why its good to add lime to compost heaps (to neutralise the PH levels). I suppose the same would apply for woodchip decomposing, although i doubt it would really effect the nutrients levels in the soil to the extent it would harm the plants. You could always just throw a handful of growmore down every now and again to compensate for any nitrogen lost.

   

  Tip of the day: Urinating on your compost heap provides nitrogen for the bacteria to aid the decomposition process!
• PRO

  Gary RK May 5, 2011 at 9:46pm

  You taking the p**s  over your tip of the day ?   ;-0)))
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  Chris Auld May 5, 2011 at 9:51pm

  Lol, good one Gary.
  

  Gary RK said:

  You taking the p**s  over your tip of the day ?   ;-0)))
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  Chris Auld May 5, 2011 at 9:59pm

  The only problem is that it costs twice as much Paul, i use well composted woodchip about 90% of the time. Ive only ever had a few people complain about it, mainly because the chips were not 'uniform enough in size'. Diseases like honey fungus can persist in the woodchip however which can be a problem.
  
  Paul @ PPCH Services said:

  I personally would never use shreded wood as it often has particles of formica and or screws in i know one of my clients who bought a load cheap for a horse areana and then had to pay again to get shot of it!

   

  Not a fan off tree surgeons waste either as it often sprouts fungi, I always tend to use and spec  proper pine bark bought lose from a local fence suplier who makes his own agricultural posts. The bark resulting from the  peeling of them.
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  Nic Johnson May 6, 2011 at 12:07am

  green wood chip uses nitrogen out of the soil to decompose. i would only use some mulch that is already decomposed which would then add nuitrients and the worms would do there bit to incorporated it to the soil beneath

   

  other alternative if they want the fresh look would be to put terram down and mulch on top treesurgeons chip tends to grow tree seedlings though and composted mulch doesnt due to the temperature when composting makes the seeds unable to germinate 
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  CJ May 6, 2011 at 12:43am

  Gary I would not use newly chipped mulch as i believe it removes nutrients though t initial decomposition process, cant remember exact word for it but it is realy better left pile up for a few months before used.

  If you do use it I think I read to use addition of amonia nitrate to combat negative affects caused (only going by what I read)
• PRO

  Will - WB Design & Construction May 6, 2011 at 7:10am

  I was always under the impression don't use freshly chipped green waste chippings like many but here is the section from what rowly found.

   

  
  

  Concern:

  tie up nitrogen and cause deficiencies in

  plants.

  Wood chip mulches will
  

  Evidence

  have demonstrated that woody

  mulch materials increase nutrient

  levels in soils and/or associated plant

  foliage. My hypothesis is that a zone

  of nitrogen deficiency exists at the

  mulch/soil interface, inhibiting weed seed

  germination while having no influence

  upon established plant roots below

  the soil surface. For this reason, it is

  inadvisable to use high C:N mulches in

  annual beds or vegetable gardens where

  the plants of interest do not have deep,

  extensive root systems.

  : Actually, many studies
  

  Concern:

  termites, carpenter ants, and other pests.

  Woody mulches will attract
  

  Evidence:

  are not attractive to pest insects but are

  actually insect repellent. For instance,

  cedar (

  which repels clothes moths, cockroaches,

  termites, carpet beetles, Argentine ants,

  and odorous house ants. In general,

  termites prefer higher nutrient woody

  materials, such as cardboard, rather than

  wood chips.

  Many wood-based mulchesThuja) species produce thujone,
  

  Application

  
  

  Let wood chips age before using

  them if there are concerns about disease.

  
  

  Personally, I have never done this; I

  happen to love the smell of fresh wood

  chips and enjoy spreading them out over

  the landscape. Additionally, some of the

  nutrient value (particularly nitrogen if

  the chips contain leaves or needles) will

  be lost in the composting process. Using

  fresh chips ensures that some of the foliar

  nitrogen will feed the landscape rather

  than the compost pile.

  
  

  Before installing wood chips, create a

  thin underlying layer of a more nutrientrich

  mulch (like compost) if there are

  concerns about nutrient deficiencies.

  
  

  This “mulch sandwich” approach is

  a logical one that mimics what you

  would see in the mulch layer of a forest

  ecosystem. It’s not required, though, and

  over time a wood chip mulch will develop

  this same structure as the lower layers

  break down.

  
  

  
  
  ROWLY HILL said:

  Out of the library and into the "Lions den".

   

  Anyone got any scientific back up to confirm how  green mulch sucks Nitrogen out of the soil? Is this myth or is their robust scientific substance to that claim?

   

   I'm not a  scientist but who's to say and I'm speculating here, the bacteria breaking down the mulch really source their N from the air rather than hoovering it from the rootzone. As I mentioned earlier if the mulch was incorporated it might - but it isn't.  The immediate surface maybe.

   

  Ok that's me ready to be shot down in flames but here's a good link ref the subject of Mulches by a ladee with a PHD.

   

  Enjoy - all you mulchers:-)

   

  http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott/horticultural%20...

   

  I'm going to hide now :-O

   

   
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  Nic Johnson May 6, 2011 at 7:52am

  the nitrogen cycle and a biology lesson when any plant matter dies it then decays/decomposes to help it along it uses denitryfying bacteria to help the plant matter decay and returns nitrogen to the atmosphere the bacteria use the nitrogen as there energy source to break down the plant matter and if theres more available ie the top of the soil the wood chip is laying on the bacteria will utilize that and the decomposition will occur at a greater rate

   

  It is not a mith its a well known fact theres only so much nitrogen and it cycles from being in the atmosphere to plant nitrogen fixing and uptake to plant death when its released by the process as mentioned above.

   

  anyone believe me know i studied up to A level Biology