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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
 Posted - 29/04/2008 : 22:16:44
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Tony cut down the neighbours tall Callistemon and I think the other one was a Leptospermum going by the smell when I was putting it through the shredder as it smelt like my tea tree oil so far I have shredded six large barrow loads of it, still more to do tomorrow and not too sure where to put it I heaped it on the pathway through the Crepuscule Rose Arch to the back of the house..
Would be be ok under and around shrubs or should I just spread it where there will only be foot traffic in case the oil does things to the shrubs or surrounding soil..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts
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Pamela
head gardener
Australia
3949 Posts |
Posted - 30/04/2008 : 08:05:21
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I am not sure Mary Anne. I know gum trees are bad as mulch as the mulch takes up so much nitrogen from the soil and any organic material in order to decompose (which it eventually like 2 years returns to the soil). Why not heap it up and let it break down a bit first? Like until spring?
"The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears." |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 30/04/2008 : 12:09:40
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I've heard before that these mulches aren't supposed to be good for the plants but my mother used to buy truckloads of 'forest mulch' from tree loppers which was mainly eucalypts and various shrubs, mainly natives, trimmed from along the sides of roads - both leaves and branches. She used to spread it straight on the gardens (icluding the rose garden) without any noticable effects. It used to breakdown within 6mths or so. Also anything we mulch up just goes straight back on the garden. Most mulch and organic material (except manures) will use nitrogen, etc to decompose but I think if just spread on the surface it wouldn't affect plants as much as if it was dug in. If your worried about it pile it up for a while but if it was me I'd just use it as is.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 30/04/2008 : 13:31:30
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Oh Thanks for that Pamela and Gail..
I may just heap todays lot and use it later..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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otamot
head gardener
1013 Posts |
Posted - 30/04/2008 : 15:39:36
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| I just use my mulchings straight away maryanne, even the prunings from the natives including calistimons and I also rake up grevillea and callistimon leaves from the driveway and just throw them straight on my beds. I've never had a problem with them and yes they are really fragrant when you put them through the mulcher! |
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Pamela
head gardener
Australia
3949 Posts |
Posted - 30/04/2008 : 18:38:29
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Gail the euchy mulch will not kill the plants but they will just not grow as well if they are in an area with some nitrogen depletion. But I have several large roses climbing up gum trees and they dont do as well as the ones that do not have to compete with a gum but they still plough on as I spoil them. Maybe your mum used to spoil the roses also :-)
"The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears." |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 30/04/2008 : 19:38:59
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Pamela, my mother hardly knew anything about gardening but she liked roses and used to plant anything she saw that she liked. The only things that were put on the garden were horse manure (from one horse that was shared around the couple of acres of gardens so not much per plant), leaves (mainly eucalypt) raked up from down the paddock and the 'forest mulch' (the loppers used to charge a carton of beer for 6 cubic metres - tip truck load - of mulch - wish I could get a load like that for a carton) I think to have a major effect on plants, this mulch would have had to be very thick but was only ever a few cms thick in any one area.
Anything planted against big gum trees would always have a struggle due to competition for water and food so will need lots of extra spoiling.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2008 : 11:33:22
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A update on that shredded mulch.. It works great on the pathway through the rose arch and is so nice to walk on  and it has not gone slimy like some of the shredded stuff goes..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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