Author Topic: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?  (Read 1485 times)

JakeFruit

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Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« on: November 05, 2019, 10:48:43 AM »
A family member with a pet rabbit gave me a huge bag of pine wood shavings they weren't going to use. I was thinking I'd use it as ground cover under my mango tree to keep the weeds down, it'd only be about 1 inch thick when spread over the 12' diameter. I've seen people use pine needles, but is there any concern using pine wood shavings? I don't plan to make it a habit, but I also don't want to throw off the soil pH. I superficially understand the concepts of pH, but my real-world application of that understanding is not so great.

I also just put down a 2/3 cup of 0-0-50 Sulfate of Potash, if that factors into anything.

Thanks!

murahilin

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2019, 02:12:32 PM »
A family member with a pet rabbit gave me a huge bag of pine wood shavings they weren't going to use. I was thinking I'd use it as ground cover under my mango tree to keep the weeds down, it'd only be about 1 inch thick when spread over the 12' diameter. I've seen people use pine needles, but is there any concern using pine wood shavings? I don't plan to make it a habit, but I also don't want to throw off the soil pH. I superficially understand the concepts of pH, but my real-world application of that understanding is not so great.

I also just put down a 2/3 cup of 0-0-50 Sulfate of Potash, if that factors into anything.

Thanks!

With a 12ft diameter, your tree seems large enough to not need mulch. At that size, I wouldn't bother with mulching. Mulch may add unnecessary nitrogen.

spaugh

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2019, 02:51:14 PM »
Im pretty sure wood shavings dont have any nitrogen.  I rather use full tree trimming with some green material in it so that it does include some nitrogen.
Brad Spaugh

JakeFruit

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2019, 01:03:21 PM »
With a 12ft diameter, your tree seems large enough to not need mulch. At that size, I wouldn't bother with mulching. Mulch may add unnecessary nitrogen.
True, but my lawn company every so often sends out some genius who decides to spray weedkiller on all the weeds growing under the tree and the tree does not like it. I plan to go lawnless somewhere down the road (and my grass is zoysia, so doesn't need a lot of care). I want to plant some nitrogen-loving ground cover under it in the spring, maybe some legume I can also harvest....
« Last Edit: November 06, 2019, 01:06:26 PM by JakeFruit »

Oolie

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2019, 01:15:07 PM »
The shavings need nitrogen to be consumed as they increase the balance of carbon, and the organisms which do so will pull it from what is available in the soil.

If you keep the shavings moist and inoculate it with fungi, it will break down more quickly and supply nutrients to the tree, if it's just for mulch, then it will rob the soil of some nitrogen, but it will last longer.

JakeFruit

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2019, 03:21:37 PM »
Thanks for the info Oolie, hoping for the later to happen.

pineislander

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2019, 05:06:27 PM »
In Florida any mulch is better than no mulch. One inch won't hurt anything under the drip zone. Not many usable legumes grow under the drip zone of a 12 ft tree, they may put down roots but will head outward to sun. In Florida the best lawn alternative I found was Mimosa strigillosa. If you want info just PM me I am close to 2 acres lawn free and working towards selling the mower when I get all 4 acres done.

saltyreefer

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2019, 06:59:25 PM »
My younger trees have been doing fine with no mulch in {Palm Bay}east coast Florida. I killed some weeds around one with no issues, these pics were taken two days ago.















palmcity

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2019, 08:35:08 PM »
In Florida any mulch is better than no mulch. One inch won't hurt anything under the drip zone. Not many usable legumes grow under the drip zone of a 12 ft tree, they may put down roots but will head outward to sun. In Florida the best lawn alternative I found was Mimosa strigillosa. If you want info just PM me I am close to 2 acres lawn free and working towards selling the mower when I get all 4 acres done.

Many questions so put up a new thread  http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=35431.msg371379#msg371379 .. Any pics etc. and how long have your done it.. etc. etc. etc. 

Mike T

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Re: Pine Wood Shavings as Mango mulch?
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2019, 04:41:57 PM »
Wood mulch as already pointed out can cause N deficiencies initially because the C to N balance favours C too much when the decomposers pull the N out. Some supplementary N for a while helps. Mulch work alright for small trees in poor soils or in hot and dry places but as trees grow it doesn't seem to make much difference.