Hi Tom,
I appreciate your well worded response. Articulating words into something beautiful and easily consumable is not my area of expertise , making it harder to share what I've learned.
You indeed did read a rant against mono crop agricultural practices which stems from my perception of most of Millet's post which seem straight from whatever Lobby group exists within the Citrus industry instead of someone that grows Citrus.
There's over 10,000 variety of apple's common sense, logic and other descriptive words make it obvious they're not all red.
San Diego is the Desert, recieves very little annual rainfall and is commonly in the 90's or 100 inland with winds that dry things out quickly .
Asides from experience or research that I've had or read , thankfully farming common sense can prevail and let us know that if we want to build up more soil and keep water on the root zone longer we should mulch. Water is often very expensive....we should mulch more....wait the roots of Citrus grow towards the surface, yeah let's definitely leave that barren and baking in 100 degree low humidity weather .
You know that feeling when you visit a farm and see someone doing it right, exceptionally dialing in their zone to complement the natural flow of the land and the tree's really healthy and productive ? These are the moments I look around and take in as much as possible . This is my research paper I'm reading , how to take those practices home and incorporate that knowledge to my growing zones and plantings .
You are wise. A kind and gentle approach is *almost always best when sharing knowledge or teaching. I say *almost because I think of one of my hero's Alan Chadwick who is credited with bringing the Organic farming movement to California in 1968. He was by all accounts quite the personality who was prone to angry outbursts some could not handle. He had served in WW2 and was a professional Shakespearean thespian prior to that. I bring this up because he worked 12 hours a day with a pick and shovel and created the most amazing garden on a couple acres of Rocky nothing. Possibly PTSD therapy but students at the college where he was asked to start a garden were drawn in to what he has doing because of what he was doing and who he was. His emotional outbursts was often breaking down how humans were screwing up the earth for material gains and we should be giving back to the earth and helping to leave the soil and earth better than when we found it. So yes, the scorched earth farming method fuels my rants. BS rape the earth agriculture mentality to make a buck. It's so obviously prevalent worldwide .
So back to the question at hand . If my absolutes and "attacks" don't move the dial then go visit a farm in SD with Citrus tree's that are heavily mulched , and visit one that is not mulched and see the difference or do an experiment heavily mulching 1 of your citrus tree's and not the other.
Whatever "opinion " I take time to share will not come marketed like a cutie or packed in a pretty box and that may be a turn off . I well overstand that.
quote author=Tom link=topic=26249.msg305344#msg305344 date=1513627638]
Bush2Beach, the question was ‘can you overmulch Citrus in San Diego?’ From Millet’s answer I think it is possible to over mulch to the detriment of your trees. I read your comments (a rant perhaps ) several times and I’m guessing that it is your opinion that it’s impossible to overmulch in San Diego. That is a statement of absolute that is not defendable by any know research. That would be like saying apples are always red , which is false by the way but might be what you believe.
The way I read your post, most of your comments are attacks and absolutes. They are also unproven as best I can see. They are your opinion but not based on any research that I am familiar with. Perhaps you would find that a more kind and more gentle approach might be more appreciated by other people.
As far as the answer to the original question,’ can you overmulch in San Diego ? ‘ With no formal training I know 1 aspirin can be very good for you once a day but 7 aspirin once a week is not so good. A warning would need to be added that some people can be allergic to aspirin and they should avoid aspirin and aspirin like products.
My grands just walked in so I guess my rant has been long enough.
Millet , thank you for your answer to the mulch question.
Tom
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