Mulching

[Richard Myers]

My chips won't be growing any fungi. They are eucalyptus. Mushrooms won't grow on it. So, I assume that they will not break down very fast.  So, I will have a supply of mulch for awhile! 

[Richard Myers]

Not having enough chips for a deep layer, I have used cardboard under the chips. It will be interesting to see how it works. Has anyone else used cardboard for a mulch?

[Ed Sutton]

Garden worms love cardboard, so you may attract lots of healthy garden worms .  If not, add a few handfuls underneath to get them started.

Is there an edible mushroom spawn that will grow mushrooms in eucalyptus ?  I don't know.

Try http://www.fungi.com/     http://www.fungi.com/pdf/catalog/flipbook/

It would be nice if pink pearl oyster mushrooms, they look visually striking, very pink.  "Hen of the woods" is tasty and medicinal. 

[Ed Sutton]

looking in that catalog two varieties will grow on conifer/cedar species ( wood types with strong oils), chicken of the woods mushroom and phoenix mushroom, they might grow on eucalyptus mulch, but I do not know for sure. 

If fungi . com has a toll free number maybe they would know being a western company. I wonder if there are australian food mushrooms that grow on eucalyptus ?

[Marelis]

Last year I cardboard mulched over a winter bed which I left dormant. First layer was piles of autumn fig leaves. Then tore the cardboard layer. Topped with pea straw. Beautiful, deep fluffy soil by spring.

Previously tried cardboard sheet mulching around a summer garden. Never again. I walked on the cardboard in the height of summer last year and heard/felt a snake quickly slither out from under my feet under the cardboard.

[Richard Myers]

Mulching is working....too good!!

With the large amount of wood chips I have been using for mulch, and the rain we had last winter, and the available water now, it seems I have applied too much water to my tomatoes and even one of my young fruit trees.

The tomatoes are on a drip line and water twice a week for an hour each time. I have applied a little extra by hose and that seems to have caused the problem. I have tomato end rot and about 1/3 of my tomatoes.   The excess water keeps the plant from being able to extract calcium from the soil, thus the end rot. Hopefully my desire to water having been dampened will resolve the difficulty.   



It pays to dig down and see how damp the soil is from time to time.

[Dorine]

Richard are you using Epsom Salts? It helps the plants pull up the calcium. I had that challenge every year until I learned about Epsom Salts and now it never happens. It's heart sickening when you see so many tomatoes go to waste. Hopefully now you will see an improvement soon.  It's amazing how moist the soil stays under the wood chips. I'm using chopped leaves with good results. 

[Richard Myers]

Dorine, how much Epsom salt do I use per plant? I think the water is the problem. But, I will try the Epsom Salt if reducing the water does not do it. Thanks for the suggestion. I will remember it.

Leaves are a great mulch. I wish I had more of them. They break down much faster than chips and provide much to the soil. But, then you lose your mulch sooner!   

[Dorine]

I think you are probably correct Richard in that your problem is too much water. Even in very hot climates mulched plants only need a deep watering once a week. If you don't see any improvement by holding the water I've added some info below that I follow.

Every two weeks mix 1-2 Tablespoons of Epsom Salts in 1 gallon of warm water to quickly dissolve the salts. Water thoroughly and if possible spray it on the leaves.
At least blossom end rot is not a disease but a calcium deficiency and the plant will recover and produce perfectly formed fruit when the problem is corrected.

I will be very interested to hear how it all works for you.

 

[Marelis]

A very good gardener recently told me that a watering with a little Epsom salts revives many a sad plant. I've yet to try it.