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trees
Member
| Joined: | Sun Jul 23rd, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 4 |
| Mana: |  |
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Posted: Mon Jul 24th, 2006 10:04 pm |
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Here in my tropical paradise known as New Jersey, I have been gardening organically for over 20 years. My garden is an aesthetic one as I grow little food on my 1/2 acre of the world. One of my mainstays has been my compost heap. Every spring, I spread generously everything that makes up my heap. It has built my soil from leached sandy fill material to a dark, rich soil. It has also proven to be a very effective form of weed control. Has anyone experimented with using composted mulch to control undergrowth on their fincas? Can anyone give me a reason why this wouldn't be a good idea? Lucia?
I understand that raw wood chips will draw nitrogen out of the soil during decomposition, which is why I don't lay it out until after it has broken down, or at least mostly broken down.
I also understand the limitations that sheer scale would present, but feel that a plan like this could be implemented on a limited scale, say, with the most valuable trees or on a rotating basis. Surely there is no shortage of biodegradable materials to be found in a tropical rain forest environment. I have also for the past few years started using paper as a weed mat under the mulch. I work at an engineering firm, and like any office, it produces an immense ammount of waste paper. Probably not a viable option there in Costa Rica, but other papers could be used too, such as cardboard.
Any thoughts?
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Wed Jul 26th, 2006 09:42 pm |
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Hmmm - first assumption, there is a shortage of material here. First we don't get that dump of fall leaves that buries everything up there - second - the environment is so active - that things break down REALLY fast. You have to see it to believe it.
For example, if you drop a laurel that is about 12" in diameter (about as hard as silver maple) - you won't find it in about a year - it will totally dissolve.
It might work - but I suspect it would be more labor to spread the mulch, than to just chop the weeds.
Secondly, you lose out on the advantage of the native grasses - we see a real jump in growth after we cut - I suspect that is because some of the native grasses are nitrogen fixing.
Third - did you know that trees can grow too fast? More is not necessarily better. You WANT the soil to dry out at times - in fact, I suspect here, you might have a real problem doing this - because you would invite root rot and fungus problems.
just my thoughts
Fred
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