Sawdust for Mulch

This topic contains 8 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Robyne 6 years, 11 months ago.

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December 11, 2012 at 10:30 pm #257476

chareaves
Member

Hi all

Is there any problem using sawdust as a mulch around fruit trees? We’re getting a whole heap for paths and maybe around raspberries. But it’s so cheap that if we could use it for fruit trees that would be great. Any problems with it?

December 12, 2012 at 2:56 am #529612

Snags
Member

nitrogen drawdown

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2485140.htm

December 12, 2012 at 9:11 am #529613

chareaves
Member

Thankyou. That article also told me what to do as well.

December 13, 2012 at 4:44 pm #529614

Bobbee
Member

Thanks for the link snags. :tup:

December 15, 2012 at 5:05 pm #529615

garryhoddinott
Member

Wood chips and sawdust or wood shavings are 3 different beasts.

Sometimes saw dust can be a barrier to rain water entering the ground. Just dump some and water it using a sprinkler to replicate rain … maybe you’ll find the top bit of sawdust is wet but it is very dry underneath.

I’d be inclined to mix in some more fibrous matter. I used old carpet that was dumped at the tip. Also free, and easy to rip up to dump a few shovels of manure under each year or service the run of drip line under.

For paths sawdust is GREAT. It does stick to your shoes on wet days so a I nailed an old worn out broom head to a bit of wood to brush my shoes off where the path met the verandah.

Cheers

December 15, 2012 at 5:19 pm #529616

Anonymous

yes need to be carefull, sawdust can pack down, also can contain wood preservatives, and if pine may add to acidity.

the nitrogen drawdown factor doesn’t count unless it is blended into the soil, and in cases where drawdown occurs the nitrogen is returned once the material has rotted. maybe lay it to just inside the drip lines, makes good path material as snails don’t like it. have used a lot of chip and shreddings around plants, good for the soil.

a good application of high nitrogen fertiliser should do the trick in drawdown situations.

we have lots of dry branches and bark below our new gardens and it is not affecting teh plants, though once the material begins breaking down it will be using nitrogen for decomposition, there is about 2 feet between plants and timber.

len

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December 15, 2012 at 8:36 pm #529617

garryhoddinott
Member

Len

Nice to see your pics. I can appreciate the above ground thing for those who are unable to enjoy gardening any other way but, sorry to be contentious, not otherwise.

Good growing.

December 15, 2012 at 11:33 pm #529618

Anonymous

garry,

don’t know how to take your post we were talking about sawdust etc, i just showed what i did, whether people have oterh ideas or not is quiet irrelevent really, i am not selling anything or promoting any political parties, dunno how long you’ve been around but then that doesn’t matter either so whatever your tone is it fell dead on me. and that the timber below the soil has had no effect, and i do know what nirogen drawdown is.

and also i didn’t mention environment, i simply used what was simplest for me and available, oh! by the way we bought second hand galv’ for the last 3 gardens.

maybe that’s one for your pipe?

notice you didn’t show anything you have done as for an example to support the topic..

len

December 16, 2012 at 12:27 pm #529619

Robyne
Member

I use saw dust for the path ways and at the end of the season, I throw it in the patch or on the compost pile.

It does go hard in areas. and water won’t get into where it should go.

Plus some trees aren’t good for mulch
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