HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-05-05, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011. PAGE 19. Home Garden
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Continued from page 12
matter, disease can be transferred.
“Diseases can be spread through
mulch,” Hamilton-Seeger said.
“Some diseases they say can’t be
transfered through leaves and bark,
like the Emerald Ash Borer, but if a
plant is sick or vulnerable, I’ll steer
clear of using it as mulch.”
Manure can be used to add
benefits to the mulch, however the
right kind of manure needs to be
used.
If starting out a new garden, and
preparing for new growth, using raw
chicken manure is good because it
will burn right into the soil.
“I use [chicken manure] when
cutting new ground, it will burn right
through and it’s high in nitrogen,”
Hamilton-Seeger said.
Horse manure is more benign, and
has low nitrogen, so it can be used
on existing growth, however, it isn’t
without its own cautions and
concerns.
“Seeds can travel very quickly
through horses and can remain
undigested,” Hamilton-Seeger said.
“Which can result in unexpected
contributions to a garden.”
For best use, manure should be
mixed with straw and bark.
There are additional concerns
when using leaves, including how
they will react to the ground.
“Certain tree leaves can alter the
acidity of the ground, which can
cause problems for certain growths,”
she said.
As for the exact application of
mulch, Hamilton-Seeger stated that
four to six inches works well.
“That’s enough to keep unwanted
plants out without causing problems
for the existing plants,” she said.
She also stated that, to minimize
the need for mulch, planting
different flora close together
minimizes the need for coverage.
Hamilton-Seeger gets her mulch
from several different avenues.
She gets leaves from her
neighbours, friends and anyone else
she can find in the fall to get a
large pile of leaves. Over the winter,
the leaves begin to decompose,
making them ideal for spring
planting.
Bark chips can be found from
trees that have been cut down, be
they from friends or neighbours, or
from more official venues.
“Many municipalities have areas
where people drop off yard refuse,
and that can provide a great source
of mulch material,” she said, adding
that municipalities also chip fallen
and cut-down branches and might
make it available to those who
express interest.
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Nitrogen Powa!
Plants need certain factors to grow like sunlight, water and
the proper soil composition. Mulching ground can restore
some of the basic building blocks needed for plant life like
nitrogen. (MS photo)
Bark and leaves in mulch can carry diseases