Author Topic: mulch refresh day  (Read 1884 times)

brian

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mulch refresh day
« on: March 12, 2021, 07:53:52 PM »
Finally got a few days of warm weather so I was able to pull all the containers out and put new mulch down.

containers come out...


...mulch goes in


and of course I had to put it all back afterwards as it goes below freezing tonight.  Won't be another month or so until they come out for good.

poncirsguy

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2021, 10:09:11 PM »
Very nice.  I too would be zone 6 if I didn't live in the inner city.

luak

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2021, 07:20:00 AM »
Brian, looking at all those small tree’s, are you preparing for a addition? Depending on the forecast April 15 is the due date for me, for them to go outside. They will get a lot bigger soon.
Your set up is all done professional, very nice.





« Last Edit: March 14, 2021, 11:46:54 AM by luak »

Millet

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2021, 01:06:58 PM »
Brian, what did you use for the mulch?

spaugh

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2021, 11:31:04 PM »
looks nice in there
Brad Spaugh

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2021, 09:48:36 AM »
Very nice, luak.  What are those large deciduous trees you have in containers?   

Yes I think it is April 15th for me, but sometimes I will bring them out early if the 10-day forecast is warm.  If more cold is predicted I just put them back in, only takes an hour.

Almost everything I am growing is fruits and/or cultivars I have never tasted before.  So I grow them until they fruit and then decide their fate.  The fate options are:

1) in-ground, in-greenhouse (something else gets removed, taking its spot)
2) forever in a ~15gal container, pruned and root pruned
3) bonsai-ed into a 1-3gal container. 
4) trashed or sold

Anything that seems too vigorous I start a replacement tree on flying dragon rootstock, intending to get rid of the original tree and replace with the dwarfed one.  I have a bunch of tropical (non-citrus) seedlings where I order a packet of seeds, grow them all, keep the best one and sell or trash the excess. 

Long term I want to buy some land nearby and build more greenhouses. 


Millet this mulch is sold as "wood chips".  It is simply the cheapest mulch available but I like it because it is not shredded.  I have been unable to find larger chunky "nugget" type mulch in bulk anywhere nearby.

"Woodchips
• Blend of selected hardwoods chipped, not ground
• Inconsistent in appearance and will contain leaves and sticks
• Primarily used for naturalized areas, walking paths and dog runs"


It looks to be aged enough, I don't see anything green.  I assume it is from the prior year.


Plantinyum

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2021, 02:00:35 PM »
looks Very nice and comfy in your greenhouse , spring sure isnt coming soon here also , we just had a two day snow storm with 30 cm of snow and will have another cyclone carrying more snow in the next 2-3 days ....

Jaboticaba45

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2021, 04:40:44 PM »
Brian, is there weed cover beneath the mulch to keep the weeds out? I recently put mulch in my greenhouse and am wondering if it were better with no weed cover.

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2021, 05:20:23 PM »
No weed cover.  The mulch works well enough on its own, if you place mulch over a weed barrier you would have to pull up the weed barrier and re-place it once the mulch rots into dirt.   I think weed barriers are only really effective when they are the top layer.  I had tried putting a white tarp as the top surface and was happy with the brightness it provided, but now I have ground birds in my greenhouse so having a plastic layer isn't really compatible.

Walt

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2021, 03:13:20 PM »
I've been thinking of button quail in my greenhouse.  What birds do you have?

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2021, 03:45:02 PM »
I have button quail, of course :)

luak

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #11 on: March 20, 2021, 05:21:42 PM »
Tree’s from the garage are mostly figs, the ones out of the growroom are mandarins and Pomelo’s and naval oranges.Also a few Jaboticaba,s in the mix.

Plantinyum

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2021, 03:27:34 AM »
I also really like the idea of birds in the greenhouse, do the button quail fly or are they strictly ground birds ? I would also like to have one or two in my greenhouse , its 12 square meters , is this sufficient . I know people keep quail in veey tight cages so I think they will like it in there .
The only problem will be if they try to fly , the gh will have open top windows and doors from which they may escape.
The gh has a 50cm high base, dunno if this would stop them ??
What do u guys feed them, do they just eat worms and bugs on theyr own ?

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2021, 10:09:51 AM »
They definitely can fly but they don't like to and they aren't good at it.  I've seen them fly at least 15ft (5m) up, basically in a random direction until they get tired (5-8sec).   Imagine a helicopter with no pilot, they can't intentionally fly places, but if you have holes they might accidentally fly out of them and not be able to get back in.   

Yes I am sure they will be plenty happy in a 12 sq. meter space.  A 50cm wall will hold them... until they accidentally fly over it. 

I feed them finch food that I throw around the greenhouse floor once in a while so they can go search for it.  They'll also eat small bugs, which is the original reason I wanted them. 
« Last Edit: March 21, 2021, 10:16:16 AM by brian »

Plantinyum

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2021, 12:42:28 PM »
Nice, I will look into this further, I may buy magnet closable nets for the doors when I let them open, I have seen such used for stopping insects getting into your home .
As for the top windows they are 2.50 high and with such small place to fly and maneuver ,I'd think it'll be hard for them to get trough.
As u said for their flying manner , I remembered I have seen flying wild quail , they pretty much fly in a straight direction and do not do any side movements as I have seen ...

As a side note I have seen people trim the long feathers on the wings of chickens , geese and such to prevent them from flying , I think this does not hurt in any way the animal and may prevent the flying out problem. Anyone tried this on their bad behaved quails?? 
« Last Edit: March 21, 2021, 12:49:11 PM by Plantinyum »

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2021, 01:56:16 PM »
I have one that is basically a pet that is extremely tame and bonds with people.  The others that grew up together are a bit more wild and do not want to be caught.  Good luck catching them regularly to trim feathers.  It is possible, though.

I am using netting around my fans and windows.  Those magnet door-nets work great. 

Plantinyum

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2021, 02:06:06 PM »
I have one that is basically a pet that is extremely tame and bonds with people.  The others that grew up together are a bit more wild and do not want to be caught.  Good luck catching them regularly to trim feathers.  It is possible, though.

I am using netting around my fans and windows.  Those magnet door-nets work great.
great, thanks for the feed back !! I will probably take the quails from one person I know that is keeping alot of feathery pets, and has quails also.
I guess they should be quite accustomed to people , so I hope....
Another thing that I am curious about is spraying of plants with leaf fertilizers/ fungicides/ pest control sprays, how do I proceed with this when quails are present, I will try to be as organic as possible ,but once in a while I will need to spray in there for something.....guess I will have to tame them in such a way that I can then catch them and put them in something till the spraying is over and the plants dry up a bit..
« Last Edit: March 21, 2021, 02:12:22 PM by Plantinyum »

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #17 on: March 21, 2021, 03:29:53 PM »
The pesticides I use are not organic but they are supposed to be safe for birds, so I don't worry about it too much.  You'll have to check the labels/research on whatever chemicals you use.  I do worry that they might try to eat pelletized fertilizer (osmocote) because it looks like seeds, but I only use that in containers.

EricSC

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #18 on: March 21, 2021, 06:15:36 PM »
Brian,

Do they search for snails or slugs?  They could be tough pests in green house.

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #19 on: March 21, 2021, 06:39:44 PM »
I have never seen a snail or slug in my greenhouse, not sure

Plantinyum

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #20 on: March 22, 2021, 01:50:07 AM »
The pesticides I use are not organic but they are supposed to be safe for birds, so I don't worry about it too much.  You'll have to check the labels/research on whatever chemicals you use.  I do worry that they might try to eat pelletized fertilizer (osmocote) because it looks like seeds, but I only use that in containers.
thank u !

brian

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #21 on: April 05, 2021, 12:47:27 PM »
10-day forecast has lows over 40F - time to bring the trees out  :D

slopat

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Re: mulch refresh day
« Reply #22 on: April 05, 2021, 04:44:57 PM »
My backyard is snail and slug free... them chickens really enjoyed catching and eating!  I think they know whats good or bad to eat,  talk about being spoiled, lay pellets are last on the list. Hand fed greens ahead of greens tossed on the ground, let alone chopped or whole leaf. Worse than kids ;)

I have never seen a snail or slug in my greenhouse, not sure