Author Topic: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?  (Read 1923 times)

EddieF

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Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« on: January 08, 2020, 04:38:51 PM »
Today i had 2 pepper trees chipped, tomorrow pine limbs mostly.
Any prefrence for which one to save a mound of for mango tree mulch?
Todays all went away in his truck except for what he ground from stumps & brush cutter.
Not really an option to get his chipper & truck in lot and pile it all up.  I can have him shovel out a couple garbage cans full.

pineislander

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2020, 08:20:58 AM »
Today i had 2 pepper trees chipped, tomorrow pine limbs mostly.
Any prefrence for which one to save a mound of for mango tree mulch?
Todays all went away in his truck except for what he ground from stumps & brush cutter.
Not really an option to get his chipper & truck in lot and pile it all up.  I can have him shovel out a couple garbage cans full.
I think a mix of species would be best but for a new system the longer you leave chipped wood the better. Some say Pepper has something allelopathic which inhibits plant growth but if you leave the chips to decompose it won't matter. If you have a new tree use old stuff underneath and probably can put some fresh chips on top. When I say "some" I mean maybe 2 inches, probably not a good idea to put 12 inches fresh chipped mulch on new plantings.
In a large pile, chipped trees will heat up and grow some mold, adding some water will help keep it cool and feed the decomposers. A couple of garbage cans will probably not heat up in the open unless kept closed up. If kept closed it will ferment.

EddieF

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2020, 09:30:11 AM »
I'm freaking out over how much tree guy removed from opposite side of lot which now, i have to get solid pvc fence for instant blockage.  More $$$.  Plan is Areca palms down entire prop line there to grow to sky but they won't be 6' tall for long time after planted hopefully in a couple weeks.

I have 1 full pail of pine chips, smells great, lesson learned have chipper make pile on lot next time!
Chips i kept for 20yr old mango if chips is a good thing for it.

The lot is typical florida sandy stuff.  Should i put 6" of topsoil before planting mangos or leave as is?
The prop line for Areca palms was mulched a few yrs ago and yesterday so that area should be good.

sahai1

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2020, 02:55:04 PM »
mango real susceptible to root rot, root disease, and boring beetles at the trunk if soft and wet.  So I would be real light on the tree and 3' from the trunk.  Also boring beetles do love mulch to lay eggs.

Pine mulch is not good for anything usually until is fully composted, there are chemicals in the needles which will kill grass, so trees won't like it.

JakeFruit

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2020, 03:16:14 PM »
I put a row of ~6' Arecas along one side of my property, irrigated them properly/regularly, and fertilized them once at the beginning of the first spring with a palm-specific fert. They took off so fast, a year later I couldn't see my neighbor's house, not even the roof. They are in a full-sun location at the bottom of a slight slope, so they get plenty of water. Close to 20' now. If you can get your conditions right, Arecas will grow super-fast. I'd put the money you are going to spend on the PVC fence into bigger Arecas and proper irrigation for them.

Another thing I would offer, Arecas drop fronds constantly. You might want to look into Fishtails, they get even taller but hold their fronds for a whole lot longer. They don't grow quite as fast, but they are not slow-growers by any means. If I did it all over again, I'd have gone with Fishtails.

EddieF

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2020, 04:07:38 PM »
Thanks for the tips.  The pvc fence would be instant barricade & privacy but yes costly.
The top soil local does have some sand mixed in but not much. 
I'd put Arecas 6' or so in from fence every 2'  if that's enough.
Wondering how long for 5gal ones to reach 10' or put bigger ones where tree guy cut thru lot?
I'm even considering 5 yard pile of soil piled there.  Wind coming thru not good when storms do.
Today almost feels like wind tunnel. 

spaugh

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2020, 04:21:50 PM »
mango real susceptible to root rot, root disease, and boring beetles at the trunk if soft and wet.  So I would be real light on the tree and 3' from the trunk.  Also boring beetles do love mulch to lay eggs.

Pine mulch is not good for anything usually until is fully composted, there are chemicals in the needles which will kill grass, so trees won't like it.

I use tons of uncomposted pine mulch and trees seem happy. 
Brad Spaugh

sahai1

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2020, 04:19:33 PM »
I have plenty of experience with causarina mulch as a former tree trimmer.   These mulch usually consisted of a lot of shredded pine needles and thin branches, usually mulch piles will kill grass due to lack of sunlight and heat, but causarina mulch effects grass much more, you can see a border 2 feet from the mulch can die back, and grass will come back very slowly where this mulch has been (even if for 48 hours or so)

Perhaps other pine species are much better, but I do believe all types of pines have chemicals which are  herbicides against new trees and grass.  As an evolutionary strategy Pine is not competing with grass, but other trees.

So I would just warning anybody who thinks about using this mulch to tread carefully because there is some special chemical characteristics of causarina pine mulch, perhaps enough to kill a papaya tree.



JakeFruit

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2020, 09:06:33 AM »
I'd put Arecas 6' or so in from fence every 2'  if that's enough.
Too close, space them 5-6' apart is my recommendation. I'll post a pic of what mine look like for you later today.

EddieF

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2020, 02:30:34 PM »
Jake, does it hurt (besides bank account) putting them close together?
Foxtails look interesting, where i'm putting them though can get messy, view will be blocked by other trees.
Mulch- i'll say this about brazil pep tree mulch- so glad i kept garbage pail of pine because the red pep tree chips stain the heck out of pool decks, pool bottom & everything else a few landed on.

JakeFruit

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2020, 06:42:28 PM »
Fishtail, not foxtail, very different palms. I wouldn't go closer than 4' with Arecas, the diameter of the base grows as they send up new growth. If you only give them 2', they'll be squeezing each other for space/nutrients in a year or two, might slow their growth.

EnglewoodFlorida

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2020, 07:48:21 PM »
I have areca palms spanning about 150ft of my property line. all were planted as 3 gallon 3-5ft high plants and spaced a shovels length apart which was about 5 feet. 2 years later they are 5-9 ft tall and i will say clean up of dead fronds is a pain in the butt. I do wish I would have bucked up for the 6-7ft potted plants from the start.  Mine are not irrigated and I never gave them any magnesium until about a year ago which does help them grow from what I see.
 

chrisvain2021

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Re: Which fresh mulch for mango tree?
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2021, 12:21:57 PM »
I'm freaking out over how much tree guy removed from opposite side of lot which now, i have to get solid pvc fence for instant blockage.  More $$$.  Plan is Areca palms down entire prop line there to grow to sky but they won't be 6' tall for long time after planted hopefully in a couple weeks.

I have 1 full pail of pine chips, smells great, lesson learned have chipper make pile on lot next time!
Chips i kept for 20yr old mango if chips is a good thing for it.

The lot is typical florida sandy stuff.  Should i put 6" of topsoil before planting mangos or leave as is?
The prop line for Areca palms was mulched a few yrs ago and yesterday so that area should be good.

The easy way to know how much topsoil will be needed is to use free topsoil calculators available on web. I personally use https://topsoilcalculator.online , this site also let you print the result. You will know how much topsoil you will need exactly. sorry for my bad English.