Does Wood Chip Mulch Tie Up Nitrogen & Increase Nitrogen Fertilization Requirements?
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Today I’d like to talk about an often debated topic - does wood chip mulch tie up nitrogen in the soil and increase nitrogen fertilization requirements? "The Truth About Garden Remedies" by Jeff Gillman: http://amzn.to/2ahkgtq "Decoding Gardening Advice" by Jeff Gillman: http://amzn.to/2ahkj8z "The Truth About Organic Gardening" by Jeff Gillman: http://amzn.to/2aN5iKc "The Informed Gardener" by Linda Chalker-Scott: http://amzn.to/2ahkjFJ "The Informed Gardener Blooms Again" by Linda Chalker-Scott: http://amzn.to/2a7lK6x This debate arises from the fact that bacteria need nitrogen to decompose organic matter. And because wood chips have a high carbon to nitrogen ratio, there’s concern that there isn’t sufficient nitrogen in wood chips themselves for decomposition to take place, and bacteria will utilize nitrogen in the soil instead. One Yard Revolution is all about growing a lot of food on a little land using sustainable organic methods, while keeping costs and labor at a minimum. Emphasis is placed on improving soil quality with compost, mulch, and compost tea. No store-bought fertilizers, soil amendments, pesticides, compost activators, etc. are used. Sources: 1) "Decoding Gardening Advice" by Jeff Gillman. http://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Gardening-Advice-Science-Recommendations/dp/1604692200/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420567539&sr=1-1&keywords=decoding+gardening+advice 2) "Wood Chip Mulch: Landscape Boon or Bane" by Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott. http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott/horticultural%20myths_files/Myths/magazine%20pdfs/Woodchips.pdf Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oneyardrevolution Channel Page: http://www.youtube.com/user/OneYardRevolution Featured video: "Giant Sunchokes Grown in Free Wood Chip & Coffee Ground Compost (Jerusalem Artichokes)" http://youtu.be/3uhicdsT-wI
Comments
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Hi. Have been wood chip mulching for many years now. I recently had a massive failure for the first time. The wood chips hold moisture and new seedlings developed damping, or dampening.
Pulling the wood chips back and providing a clear area while they developed fixed it.
Interesting.
The seedlings were planted into raised mounds - I think the side walls aided in nitrogen depletion and impacted.
Also I am not entirely sure about this thesis on eucalyptus. I have used it extensively for many years and it worked fine (I added nitrogen and rock dust). -
Hi Patric i live in Nevada and i ask same of my friends how to get the wood chips for my garden and they toll me is not good for my garden because is going to bring more scorpions to my property,is maybe true ? in this area is a lot scorpions
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A very well balanced and informative video!
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Hi Patric I saw a lot of mycelium thread as you moved your wood chip around with your hand, it is as necessary as nitrogen bacteria to soil
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Hey Mr Dolan, Here in my place I can't find wood chips but have lots of wood shavings (very thin) available. How do I put it to good use?? Also I have few questions:
Unlike woodchips, if wood shavings are applied as a mulch layer should I add a nitrogen rich material like tea leaves(which I get in abundance here) or/and other green leaves , to prevent nitrogen depletion??
Does a thick layer of wood shavings when moist give rise to fungal growth and hence lead to root rot?? -
I enjoy your videos; and you look Exactly like my nephew Scotty. Unbelievable!!
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Love your videos. Thanks.
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Oh how I miss the muni chip pile! My beds have always done better with woodchips, burying animal manure and compost with a woodchip covering has been great. Creating a mycelium mat, retaining moisture, and reducing weeding is well worth a little nitrogen.
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Makes sense, the nitrogen the wood uses to break down is still there, just not available, till the wood finishes breaking down, then it is released back into the soil.
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Basically, nitrogen will be lost because of uptake by bacterial communities whose populations grow in conjunction with the added carbon from wood chips, then these bacteria die and release that nitrogen back into the soil food web where hopefully plants will take up enough of it before soil fauna does. The answer to the debate is (1) depends on timing of crops & soil amendments (2) depends on the amount of carbon and nitrogen you're adding. The general rule of thumb is that when C:N ratio of organic matter in soil is over 30:1, bacteria will start using up nitrogen from the soil.
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It's easy to add nitrogen if you save your pee now and then, dilute it, and water it in to the garden.
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I used fresh sawdust for mulch in two raised garden beds. It sucked all the nitrogen out of my plants. The raised garden bed that did not have fresh sawdust grew well. Please do not use fresh sawdust near yout growing garden plants.
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What about adding used coffee grounds to increase the nitrogen for the wood chips. I'm just starting out with the whole wood chips thing. I've learned a lot through your videos. Thanks for your help.
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Thank you for the information. I just had two large truck loads of wood chips delivered. It's a mix of chips and leaves( oak I believe.) I was wanting to create paths with it. I was considering adding it to my raised beds also when I tuck them away this fall also. This video give me a bit more confidence in doing so. Thank you.
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tnks u love the cute kitten center of the attraction lol
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Hello OneYardRevolution, love your videos and info. We have access to free wood chips from our council which is basically a mixture of pine trees and eucalyptus trees. Can I use this as a mulch in my garden? Will it affect the acidity/alkalinity of the soil? Please comment. Thanks.
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Because wood chips create a good bed for earth worms this would seem to increase nitrogen just under the surface through the worm castings, plus aerate the soil.
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i put down wood chips from a local tree trimmer service in october, it is now april and i have dust piles here and there but other piles look like something poured in a small area and dried on top. im not sure what this is. can you help? is it something that happen naturally or something else?
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I believe the man over the woman.
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I just saw a video from a different gardener that showed how a local farm used a thick base of wood chips with a depth of about 1 foot(which breaks down to much less over time) and then put a thick layer of compost(about 8 inches deep) which he planted his crops in. The purpose of the wood chips was to retain water and act as a natural fertilizer creating very good soil structure and health. However, I was wondering if the wood chips would rob nutrients from the plants. The plants were incredibly healthy looking and i think that the thick layer of compost prevented the wood chips from depleting the plants intake of nitrogen from the soil.
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