I’ve been trying to decide on a mulch to use for my fruit trees in 4x4 raised beds and also in containers. After looking into a bit I have been inclining toward a mixture of pine shavings and cedar shavings. A few reasons are: they are cheap, they are light, which will make it a lot easier for me to work with (back problems), and the cedar apparently has some insect repellent properties (I have a huge problem with argentine ants farming aphids on everything that grows in my garden, and I’m in socal which is basically just a huge argentine ant supercolony, so the ants are pretty much impossible to eradicate - but I haven’t tried cedar yet, so thought it was at least worth a shot).
I Just learned thought that my county has a free mulch pickup program. The mulch is made from “100% local recycled yard waste.” Sounds like the waste management company picks this stuff up then shreds it and offers it as mulch. Since it’s free it’s tempting, but my one concern about this is: it seems there’s no way to know what this yard waste was, if it was organic, or if it might have been contaminated in some way by chemicals or anything else. Has anyone used a free local recycled mulch like this or does anyone have any knowledge if there are any potential risks like those I mentioned above?
Also if you have other thoughts/suggestions about the best way to mulch my trees please let me know.
I use cedar chips for my paths because they break down slowly. They also tend to mat together and repel water, so I don’t use them much around my plants but I don’t think finer shavings would do that. I have so many small things planted near my fruit trees that act as a living groundcover that I haven’t put down mulch in a while, but I like straw for fruit trees and vegetable beds. It breaks down quickly into very nice soil. I remember reading that a bale of straw adds all the fertility a mature fruit tree needs for two or three years. I also use the straw I mulch with to grow wine cap mushrooms around my garden. I’m never sure about how effective against insects any mulch can be, though cedar and pine smell nice when they’re put down. I find both my cedar chips and straw are sharp and dense enough to keep mammals away, which is a plus for me.
Also, I know of people who go around collecting leaf bags from the side of the road for mulch. I would never use yard waste as it could contain anything. When I put out leaf bags they have goutweed roots in them. I think a lot of people who rake up leaves put pesticides on their lawns. I’m always willing to buy good mulch since it’s relatively inexpensive and I know what I’m putting on my food then!
I hauled around 20 tons of it… they call it ‘mulch’ but its really ‘compost’ i think (at least here it is).
Thousands of bagged leaves from the city, as well as yard clippings from neighborhoods… plus the local cities have dumps for clippings etc done by landscapers and lawn services…
This all gets loaded into an industrial machine that turns it into ‘mulch’ but unless you get some very old stuff its still ‘hot’.
I think all it did for me was to ‘make work’ as my grasses and weeds all have superpowers. But everything with roots that wander into walkways i think benefit… but im not sure it was worth it all.
Today i hauled another several ton of woodchips from local arborist piles… i wouldnt really recommend that either… as it gives my weeds and grasses superpowers also. But i am stockpiling some for my chicken runs and also i am planting some 100 new trees this fall… and i like to mulch when i plant to give the new plantings their best chance.
Other than that i kind of wish i wouldnt have ever spread arborist woodchips really…it is alot of work as alot of weeds and crab grasses really thrive in it. But so do my trees and brambles so its a tough choice.
So saying all that if i had just a few dozen or so things to mulch i would go with pine bark nuggets. My weeds and grasses dont favor the pine bark it seems…some occasional weeds do ok in it but they are easily removed if i happen to want to pull them.
I used a dozen or so bales of straw years ago as it was rotting and free… mistake for me as it was the perfect environment for voles to do what voles do.
This is mostly what i do… its alot of work to keep that aesthetic but i want the healthiest and most biodiversity that i can get…
Be careful with recycled mulch. You don’t know where it comes from. It can be a torn down house with treated wood. It is important to use mulch that has MSC logo. That means it is safe to use on edibles. I am not sure how safe but it does require a certification.
Thanks everybody, for your input. You have all confirmed my own doubts about the recycled mulch, so I’ll definitely be avoiding it.