containerized plant production ( Weston, 2005 ). However, wood chips and leaf mulches from several woody perennials, including southern redcedar and southern magnolia, may contain water-soluble natural products with phytotoxic activities and they could therefore
Five woody ornamentals Rosa rugosa, Cotoneaster acutifolia, Malus baccata, Picea glauca and Pinus contorta var. latifolia, were grown for 4 seasons mulched with one of five treatments: 2.5 cm or 5 cm of crushed basaltic quarry stone, 5 cm or 10 cm of quaking aspen wood chips, and an unmulched control. Maximum soil temperatures at the 10 cm depth on the wood chip plots were decreased by as much as 8°C over control plots, and soil moisture was increased. Stone mulch plots showed a slight increase in both temperature and moisture. Soil minimum temperatures were lower on the wood chip plots than the other treatments early in the season, but were slightly higher in September. Soil pH and available N, P and K did not differ among mulch treatments. Weed growth was suppressed by all mulch treatments but was best controlled on the wood chip plots followed by the 5 cm stone plots. Plant growth for all species except Rosa rugosa was greatest on the stone mulch plots. Roses growing on the stone mulch plots and the control were subject to significant dieback from winter injury and did not show any difference in total growth after 4 years when compared with the wood chip plots. Plants grown on the wood chip plots exhibited varying degrees of nitrogen deficiency which may be related to reduced nutrient uptake in cooler soils or to a significant amount of rooting in the mulch-soil interface.
Five woody ornamentals Rosa rugosa, Cotoneaster acutifolia, Malus baccata, Picea glauca and Pinus contorta var. latifolia, were grown for 4 seasons mulched with one of five treatments: 2.5 cm or 5 cm of crushed basaltic quarry stone, 5 cm or 10 cm of quaking aspen wood chips, and an unmulched control. Maximum soil temperatures at the 10 cm depth on the wood chip plots were decreased by as much as 8°C over control plots, and soil moisture was increased. Stone mulch plots showed a slight increase in both temperature and moisture. Soil minimum temperatures were lower on the wood chip plots than the other treatments early in the season, but were slightly higher in September. Soil pH and available N, P and K did not differ among mulch treatments. Weed growth was suppressed by all mulch treatments but was best controlled on the wood chip plots followed by the 5 cm stone plots. Plant growth for all species except Rosa rugosa was greatest on the stone mulch plots. Roses growing on the stone mulch plots and the control were subject to significant dieback from winter injury and did not show any difference in total growth after 4 years when compared with the wood chip plots. Plants grown on the wood chip plots exhibited varying degrees of nitrogen deficiency which may be related to reduced nutrient uptake in cooler soils or to a significant amount of rooting in the mulch-soil interface.
`Apache' blackberry planted in 3-m plots spaced at 0.6 m between plants were maintained either with or without waste municipal wood chip mulch and grown for 5 years. Plots received similar weed control, pest management, and irrigation. All plots were annually hedged at 1.35-m height twice during midsummer to encourage branching. Fruit were harvested beginning in the second season after a season of establishment. Annual yield in the mulched plots was 15% greater, average fruit size was 4% larger, and cumulative yield was 9% greater in the mulched plots compared to nonmulched control plots. In two seasons, average berry soluble solids content of fruit from mulched plots was slightly, but not significantly higher. Annual primocane number was 33% greater, floricane number 41% greater, floricane dry weight after harvest was 15% greater, and average plant height before summer pruning was 24% taller in mulched plots compared to nonmulched plots. Mulch significantly reduced weeds within the plots.
major Christmas tree species in the upper midwestern United States. We also examined growth and physiological response of seedlings grown with mulch mats and wood chip mulch as alternatives for growers that do not have access to specialized equipment to
leguminous cover crops. The use of organic mulches such as wood chips, shredded paper, or alfalfa have increased soil N availability and mineralizable forms of N in multiple studies ( Forge et al., 2003 ; Marsh et al., 1996 ; Sanchez et al., 2003 ; Yao
; Sanchez et al., 2003 ). Organic mulches such as wood chips, shredded paper, and alfalfa have been shown to increase soil microbial activity and N turnover, increasing N availability, fertilizer-use efficiency, and fruit yield in some studies ( Forge et al
the “sandwich” system ( Weibel et al., 2007 ), which tills the sides of the tree row while maintaining a narrow cover crop strip in the tree line, is hypothesized to discourage meadow vole activity. Wood chip mulch has performed well for weed control
orchardists do have a variety of weed control strategies and tools to draw upon ( Table 1 ). These include tillage, flaming, and other thermal techniques; inert mulches (e.g., wood chips, weed fabric), living mulches; organic herbicides; and allelopathy. None
to increasing local crop production ( Ahmad et al., 2016 ; Radovich et al., 2009 ). Sources of local soil amendments for macadamia are the remaining husk, shell, and wood chips from harvest, pruning, and tree removal. Mulches can improve indicators