Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Ok our winters are not that bad maybe down to 40's
but what do i mulch with last yr all my Naners where doing fine but the artic Blast made me cut them to the Rhizome ( i think i cut too much)
But what should i use for mulch here in florence Oregon ?Tammy

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

I have alot of mahogany Chips from making stuff . is that ok to use or will it kill off my plants .
I know Cedar is bad to use grins .

Tammy

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

I take all the old leaves or broken leaves and chop them up into small pieces then place them around the bananas and throw some manure on top. Water in real good and watch it decompose right before your eyes! The redworms really like it too and they leave worm casting in the process, a win win!

Some of that redwood mulch will tend to acidify the soil which hasn't hurt my plants any. When we bought this house all the gardens had a thick layer of redwood nuggets on them. Over time it has been turned into the soil and decomposed. I have since tested the soil ph several times and it's pretty neutral. I have a really hard time keeping my clay soil loose around here. Maybe someday it will relax and make my life a little easier.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

The cheapest one is composted horse manure that I haul away from a friend's horse ranch.

Next would be the free compost given away by the city. After having that horse ranch owner as a friend, I no longer fall in line very early for free compost.

The third one, still cheap, is the composted steer manure from Walmart. They sell from $0.86 to $0.99 per cubic ft. Home Depot sells them too, from $0.97 to $1.49 per cubic ft.

These are all superb for bananas if you have drainage.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Can you use the fresh manure or does it have to be composted? Cuz I also have horse friends and got to thinking.................

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Unless it's goat or rabbit droppings, you'll want to compost the manure - it can be very rich and burn even nanners. Mix it in with lotsa other stuffs in a new bed and let it cook over the winter and it should be pretty happy in the Spring. Or just dump it in a compost pile - mix in leaves and whatnot to diversify the mulch.

Have fun,
Mike

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

the best of all, free. wet newspapers about 1 inch or 2 thick. pour chopped leaves/grass on that. My banana trees by the deck were over 15 feet. leaves are bown now, but the stem is still green. the compost is about 6 inches thick on them. I think they like those corms/roots toastie warm!

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Right on ill get some papers and some Goat manure maybe that will help.
Hi all hope life is well im working Grave Yard shifts and hardly have time with anything except the Fam Damily. Grins Happy holidays. Tammy

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

My city has all three for free (leaves/compost/woodchips). I use the woodchips the most and some of the compost. I like the way woodchips conserve water and probably add nutrients.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Here in NC I use pine straw to insulate. In the spring, I will just spread it around as I use pine straw as my landscape material of choice. Red

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

I use pine staw too, because that is what all the pine trees in my yard drop everywhere. I also get horse poop for free from a guy down the road.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Who do you call for free compost or woodchips in the city?
And how do you chop leaves to small pieces?
I am all ears!!!!:islandsharkbanana:

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

you can call the street department or the sanitation department. if that doesnt work call city hall.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

I don't know how it is where you are, but here the free mulch has a lot of trash in it.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

Any other suggestion?

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

in the "mulch" the city gives away here, you get...of course free of charge..leaves, small twigs, grass clipping, the occasional snake, maybe cat poop, and doggie poop( the poop part depends on how many animals run free at the lot they have) and all kind of "organic matter". i went to look at it cause i was gonna get some..i figured hey it will compost. till i started walking through it. that stuff was NOT going on my plants! not even my outside plants. one suggestion: go around to your neighbors yards and tell them if they will bag the leaves and grassclippings youll take them. you can eve tell them youll bag it and they will be more then happy to let you.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

that's yuke! i guess not me.

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

the free compost here is full of nutgrass seeds and nuts, not good.

this past year, I used cardboard to cover the nutgrass (from free compost), and topped it with compost, coffee grounds, and lawn clippings. When spring rolls back around, I'll add some chicken poo and fish emulsion. I probably have about an 8" layer of mulch down, will add more this weekend when I mow.

so far so good,
-Ethan:aliennaner:

Re: Mulching what are you all using ?
 

I use a bit of shredded paper (getting rid of old bills) mixed in with sea weed, lots of seaweed from the winter storms.