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an alternate use for water resistant mulch
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Posted by rose_qld Aust (My Page) on Sun, Mar 5, 06 at 20:33
| Trying to rehabilitate a struggling lemonade tree in my mother's garden a few months ago.....I really wanted to give it a good soak while I was there as she is past watering the outlying areas. Made a semi-lunar berm out of stockyard manure/hay below the tree (it's on a slope); it worked alright straightaway to retain water (with a hose siphoning from a tank) and even better last week when not a drop escaped. I seem to remember raking whatever leaf litter was handy over the berm as a covering and inside it as loose mulch. It hasn't had a serious storm event to test the structure but it sure beats moving soil around.
I really like the berm method of giving an effective drink. Anyone else like to do this?
Rose |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: an alternate use for water resistant mulch
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| We do it every time we plant a tree. As most of our place is on a slope we find it is the only way to stop water running off. When planting, the soil we remove from the hole is placed on the lower side of the tree in a half moon and the whole lot covered in mulch. Often put a shallow trench or dip just above the plant to slow the water down as well. |
RE: an alternate use for water resistant mulch
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| yes rose, that method made our fruit trees rainwater reliant and provide very good sweet fruit. len |
RE: an alternate use for water resistant mulch
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| There is an excellent method for water conservation on farms called Keyline. It involves furrows that follow the contours of your slopes. It holds water, minimises runoff and improves soil water penetration. I seem to recall it gradually steers the water to the ridges of your slopes away from you gullies as well. I have sort of used this method and with a machine, created long swales to hold runoff and minimise erosion. I then plant into the swales. They work a treat. |
RE: an alternate use for water resistant mulch
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| I think my point got a bit diluted here by the promotion of berms, banks, whatever we want to call 'em. What got me interested on this occasion was the effectivenesss of a (lightweight, freely available) product to form the berm. I was surprised at the quality of the seal with the ground surface. I'd have had little hope of scraping up enough soil around an existing tree on this place to form the right size bank i.e. under the drip line. Thinking that there are cases where mulch is not doing the job because it won't wet, is settling too tight etc etc; it may be better pulled back to form water retaining structures and an alternative mulch used to fill in. Rose |
RE: an alternate use for water resistant mulch
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| Sorry Rose, I find using mulch as makeshift berm to hold water may not always work. I have had instances where the water leaks under it. But if it is working for you that's fine. As for mulch becoming hydrophobic (resisting water), it is a real problem in dry times. I prefer to disturb the mulch with a rake or throw around those granules that encourages water to penetrate hydrophobic soils/mulches. I prefer to prevent runoff and encourage water penetration by shaping the ground while still using a good mulch around the root area. That way I have the benefit of the mulch holding in moisture and avoiding too much soil evaporation. |
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