Ash Wood Chip Mulch & Vegetable Gardens
Emerald ash borers have killed millions of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees in the United States, particularly in the Midwestern states. Many states have instituted quarantines that prevent lumber from infected trees from being moved across state lines. As of May 2013, the pest hadn`t spread west of the Rocky Mountains, but if it does, it might kill many landscape trees, as well as native species. If you have a dead ash tree on your property, or have access to ash wood, you can safely use it for many purposes, including landscaping mulch. Whether it belongs in the vegetable garden, though, is open for debate.
Contenido
- Benefits
- Drawbacks
- Video: build amazing fertile garden soil using free and local resources in your mulch or compost
- Alternatives
- Considerations
- Video: wood ash is great fertilizer .
- Video: is wood ash safe to use in a vegetable garden?
Benefits
Organic mulches, including ash wood chip mulch, have many benefits in the garden. They can double soil moisture levels and reduce weeding chores by up to 60 percent. Ash wood mulch can regulate soil temperatures so they stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. As the mulch breaks down, it adds organic matter to the soil and encourages microbial growth.
Drawbacks
Video: Build Amazing Fertile Garden Soil Using Free and Local Resources in your Mulch or Compost
For all their benefits, wood chip mulches, including ash wood chip mulch, aren`t the best choice for vegetable gardens. They take years to break down and must be raked back each spring to plant new vegetable seeds. They don`t rob nitrogen from the soil if placed on the surface of the soil only, but they do deplete nitrogen if they`re tilled into it. Save ash wood chip mulches for paving the pathways between your raised garden beds instead. Here, they keep the paths dry and slow weed growth.
Alternatives
Use ash wood chip mulches in your perennial and shrub beds. In the garden, untreated grass clippings and weed-free straw make ideal mulches. These materials conserve moisture and reduce weed growth, but they also break down quickly so you can till them directly into the soil every fall. As they decompose, they add organic matter to the soil. Grass clippings also contribute nitrogen. Black plastic mulch is often used in vegetable gardens to warm the soil while reducing weed growth. It works well for warm-season crops, such as tomatoes, melons and pumpkins. Install it in late spring and plant the crops so they grow large enough to shade the ground before the heat of summer. Otherwise, the black plastic mulch might heat the soil too much.
Considerations
Video: Wood ash Is Great Fertilizer .
Video: Is Wood Ash Safe to use in a Vegetable Garden?
Handle lumber from infested ash trees responsibly to prevent further spread of emerald ash borer. Check with your extension office for local quarantines and laws regarding ash wood. For example, in the state of Ohio, ash wood chip mulch can be transported and sold only if it is less than 1 inch in diameter.