corniculata L.), northern willow herb ( Epilobium ciliatum Raf.), and common groundsel ( Senecio vulgaris L.), but only moderate to poor control of annual bluegrass ( Poa annua L.). Ferguson et al. (2008) showed that a 3.7 cm layer of wood chip mulches
among SPRAY and the mulch treatments that year ( Table 4 ). Smith et al. (2000) found that tree height and diameter of pecan trees were positively related to mulch area (1 or 2 m squares and 30 cm deep). They concluded that a 2-m-wide wood chip mulch
). Mulch consists of a thin layer that may be organic material (such as wood chips, grass clippings, straw, or other low-value biproducts of agriculture), textile, or films of metal or plastic. Plastic mulch films can be of synthetic or biological origin
blueberry ( Strik et al., 2017a ; Strik and Vance, 2017 ). Weed mat captures more longwave radiation and results in warmer soil temperatures than organic mulches, such as sawdust or wood chips ( Cox, 2009 ; Larco, 2010 ; Strik et al., 2017a , 2020
have a positive effect on yield in some cases ( Neilsen et al., 2003 ; Strik et al., 2017a ). However, black weed mat absorbs heat, resulting in increased soil temperatures compared with soil mulched with sawdust or wood chips ( Cox, 2009 ; Larco
radiation and results in warmer soil temperatures than organic mulches, such as sawdust or wood chips ( Cox, 2009 ; Larco, 2010 ; Strik et al., 2017a ). Weed mat has also been shown to increase crop water requirements by up to 50% ( Strik et al., 2017a
, fruit size and potassium content in the apple leaves increased with increasing organic mulches ( Pedersen, 1999 ). However, organic mulches, especially wood chips, were ineffective in controlling perennial weeds, whereas the most effective was plastic
harvest and process small trees directly in the field. This process, first carried out when the plantation is about 10 to 15 years old, results in two products: clean chips (used for making paper products) and CCR (everything else, including wood, needles
-season grass in 2003, mulched with chipped road trimmings to a depth of 7.6 cm, or maintained as a bare soil surface for the duration of the experiment. Mulch was obtained from a local line clearing arborist and consisted of a mixed woody plant species
sawdust or wood chip mulches ( Burkhard et al., 2009 ). In our study, the integrity of the sawdust layer on top of the compost was not well maintained as a result of hand-pulling of weeds bringing compost to the surface and wind erosion of the sawdust