After the winds and laying awake waiting for a big gum tree to come crashing though mine or the neighbours house, I am getting it reduced to a quarter of its size with all the big branches gone. It will sprout again so that’s no problem.

For some reason it is cheaper if you keep the wood and chips on site. I would have thought if they took it back to the depot they could seel it as mulch and firewood.

Anyhoo, is there any downside to using the fresh gum chips as mulch around fruit trees? I expect I would need to add chook pellet fertilizer to add nitrogen.

What you propose sounds fine and yes I would feed up under the mulch for the nitrogen. I really like gum mulch for paths though. Are there any places you want to mark out paths? I would use it between sections in the veggie patch so I could reach certain parts. Or make a ‘path’ around the outside of your pond (so you can mow further out). Just a couple of suggestions. I gave the chooks the last lot to play with, but you don’t have chooks. It will efficiently sog up water…..do you have any areas that you walk that make your shoes muddy and need ‘paving’? To the clothes line? The joy is that it just disappears as it rots. I also have – and I think you have too – areas of native plants. I’d be a little inclined to just use it around them (not too close) as they are used to leaf litter type living conditions.

Can you tell it is raining off and on here and I’m inside? I’ve just made up a companion planting list and now I am going to apply it to my Summer veggie plan. Dear, oh dear.

The natives are already mulched with smashed pine. The reason I mention the fruit trees is that they are normally mulched with mulching straw which rots quickly and I let that run down after summer and during winter, otherwise it just harbours greebles, so at the moment they have no mulch but in the run up to summer I will need to replace it again.

Oh, and you might be surprised at the smallness of the pile of chips from a seemingly enormous tree. Every time I put stuff through the chipper I am surprised. And I’ve been doing it for years!

Don’t put it on too thick. It’s fresh and green. I think exotics like fruit trees really would be better with straw…although perhaps a mix of straw and some of the chips to make the mulch last a bit longer. I’ve just done my fruit trees with sheep poo and a topping of green grass clippings. They’ll get straw shortly as well.

buffy said:

Oh, and you might be surprised at the smallness of the pile of chips from a seemingly enormous tree. Every time I put stuff through the chipper I am surprised. And I’ve been doing it for years!

The chipper these guys use sounds like a jet taking off, they put through some pretty hefty pieces. The only wood that will be left is big hunks suitable for fireplaces. But yes, I can see it might be smaller than I expect. If it does all the fruit trees that will be enough.

Because I can…..

I’ve got a heavy duty but not commercial chipper, so I can only go to 3” branches. You’ll get bigger chips I suspect. I’m feeling a bit cautious because the chips will be quite green. Keep them in a sort of ring away from the trunk. And they will get very hot, can combust (I’ve had a heap that became ash in the middle without bursting into flame) if you have them too thick.

buffy said:

Keep them in a sort of ring away from the trunk. And they will get very hot, can combust (I’ve had a heap that became ash in the middle without bursting into flame) if you have them too thick.

Yes, I have already anticipated that whilst it is in a pile I will need to stick a hose in the top and give it a good soaking. The deed is due next Thursday or Friday depending on winds. Which is lucky for the wattlebird as its chicks are out and about now just the last few days but still getting fed and by next week should have the strength to fly to another tree.

Wood chips will slowly lower the ph of the soil.. although this seems to a matter of dispute in gardenenening placess.

Ian said:

Wood chips will slowly lower the ph of the soil.. although this seems to a matter of dispute in gardenenening placess.

What does that mean? Is that a problem?

Skunkworks said:

Ian said:

Wood chips will slowly lower the ph of the soil.. although this seems to a matter of dispute in gardenenening placess.

What does that mean? Is that a problem?

It slowly acidifies the soil.

Depending on your soil and what you want to grow that may not be a problem..
but if soil is already acidic you may want to chuck some dolomite or something around to raise the ph.

Ian said:

Skunkworks said:

Ian said:

Wood chips will slowly lower the ph of the soil.. although this seems to a matter of dispute in gardenenening placess.

What does that mean? Is that a problem?

It slowly acidifies the soil.

Depending on your soil and what you want to grow that may not be a problem..
but if soil is already acidic you may want to chuck some dolomite or something around to raise the ph.

Ok thanks for that, my natives seem to be growing ok. Do natives like grivillias and bottlebrushes etc tolerate or even like acidic soil? Never had mine tested but it is your usual central Victorian clay but it is free draining.

I suppose next time I am at bunnings I should get a soil test kit.