Mulch for Haskaps (Honey Berries) - Pine/Cedar Shavings, Grass Clippings, and/or Dead Leaves?

General Fruit Growing
#1

Hey all. New to the forum. I live in Saskatchewan, Canada. Zone 2B or 3A.

When it comes to fruit growing right now all I have are Haskaps (Honeyberries). Most are still in pots, but two of them are in the ground. One is an Aurora I got this year from a local greenhouse, and the other is a Borealis I got the year before. Both seem to be growing well. However I have heard putting mulch around them would likely be beneficial.

Originally I just cleared the grass around them, but then I found this large round piece of basically rubber mulch? I dont know if mulch is the right term its basically a rubber disk that goes around the tree. I ripped it in half and put it half around each tree to kill the grass.

EDIT: Okay it looks like this. https://www.wayfair.ca/Perma-Mulch-Perma-Mulch-Tree-Ring-TR20910-30-TR24912-30-L3159-K~BGX1000.html?refid=GX173423372379-BGX1000_4974341&device=c&ptid=266217102375&targetid=pla-266217102375&PiID[]=4974341

I can’t believe they cost that much…

I would prefer to use waste material I have around instead of buying mulch if possible. At first I took green grass clipping and let them dry out very well. Then I put them around the Haskaps where the rubber mat did not cover. (half the tree was surrounded by the rubber mulch pad and the other half green grass clippings).

Now I don’t (think I) want to keep that rubber pad unless there is some good reason to use it I am missing. I was going to just dry more green grass clippings and put them around the rest of the tree but from what I am reading grass clippings may not be a good mulch. I also have a bag of Cedar/Pine shavings (made for Hamster cages), and now that it is fall the leaves are starting to fall off the trees and dry so I have dry leaves as well.

From what I have read one of the reason green grass clippings are not a good mulch is it can be to high in nitrogen. I have also read that wood shavings are not good because they are to high in carbon and can actually rob the soil of nitrogen. So I was thinking maybe mixing the two would make a decent mulch? Or maybe a mixture of dry leaves and green grass clippings? I was also thinking maybe I should wait till spring to add any mulch to avoid the risk of the mulch causing new growth right before winter?

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#2

Leaves or straw should be fine

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#3

if you use dead leaves make sure the ground around the base is clear of leaves as this can cause rot

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#4

wood shavings/ chips are fine. thats what i use. doesn’t tie up nitrogen unless you turn it into the soil. i top dress around my trees/ bushes every spring w/ 3in. of hardwood sawdust. after a few years of breaking down it creates a nice black worm filled soil to feed your trees. if you want to fertilize, just rake back the top layer of chips, spread your fertilizer and bury it back with the chips. also mulch holds water but still lets your trees roots breathe. limit how much cedar you use as cedar in high amounts will inhibit your plants growth. hardwood is best for nutrients but any mulch will do. put on loosely. if you tamp it, it will actually shed water. i rough mine up once and awhile. check out firewood businesses or arborists for a source. thats where i get mine. good luck!