mulch from stump grinding

We have just had 14 trees removed and their stumps ground and I am wondering if I can use the mulch from them on my flower beds now or if it needs to be set aside and aged first? The trees were pines, oaks and a sweet gum.

Bonnie

I've used it on my flower beds, over a layer of newspaper. It looks pretty good and decomposes quickly over the course of a year.

Is the newspaper a necessity? I would be putting it in established beds with plants.

As long as they were healthy, diseased-free, trees, I don't see why not. I've used pine and oak mulch before, but never sweet gum (only because there aren't that many around here). It may need to dry for a while, it might produce too much heat otherwise. Hopefully someone else will reply who knows more.

Well, the problem with using fresh woods chips is that they sink into the soil because they are heavy. I put the newspaper down to keep them aboveground for decompostion so that it doesn't take too much nitrogen out of the soil. Also fresh chips have about 4% acidity -I think the newspaper helps buffer the soil so the plants are kept at an even ph too, especially since you are using pine and oak which have a lot of tannins

And, I am not saying you need to do this, but I used fresh chips without newspaper in my fruit tree orchard and the trees are still struggling. Last year I used the layer of newspaper in the flower gardens and had no problems. Better to mulch than not mulch. The newspaper also provides another barrier against weed seeds hitting the soil. Any weeds that show are are shallowly rooted and come out easily.

This message was edited Jul 12, 2009 8:24 AM

Fresh wood chips use up quite a bit of nitrogen during decomposition, can lower the ph of the soil and produce heat. I had a large maple tree (with 4 main trunks) removed a few years ago and the huge stump ground down to 18 inches below soil level. Not knowing the drawbacks of fresh wood chips, I happily spread these all over every bit of plantings in the yard. I was lucky. There was no serious damage (didn't lose plants) but it was a year of less vitality - smaller growth, less blooms. It's now a few years later and much to my relief the plants are going gangbusters.

Underlying newspaper would add a buffer. By the time the newspaper breaks down, the wood chips will be further along in decomposition and will most likely be ready to start supplying benefits to the soil. Could also be selective about placement - edges of garden (keeping it away from base of plants), for example. If you have a compost pile, that would be a good place to use them too.

~Sharon

Well, since we had so much mulch from the 13 trees we decided to save ourselves a lot of work and have them clean it up and haul it off. The little I have left to clean up I am going to put into a compost pile and let it age awhile. Thank you all for your help.
Bonnie

Sharon is right- they tie up nitrogen while decomposing. Never mix fresh shavings into the soil. On TOP of the soil, kept 6 inches or so from the plants, not so much of a problem. As a top mulch, better to mix them with material that has aged a while.

I wish I had some of that! I am using mulch for paths. Wouldn't matter if it was fresh. If you need to make a walking path, or need to mulch around a shed or garbage cans, or other structures...whatever, it would be GREAT.

I have some Walnut wood shavings, I am wondering if the walnut would hurt my plants if I was to put it in my compost pile or put down news paper then layer it on top? I know they say never to plant near walnut trees your help would be appreciated!

Sunshine, Black Walnut trees contain juglone that will kill some types of plants like tomatoes, Azaleas and Rhodies to name a few. Here's a link: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html

Regular walnut trees don't contain juglone so if that's what you have, you can use them with the newspaper layer

Edited to say that regular walnut trees don't contain as much juglone and plants don't seem to have problems growing witht hem.

This message was edited Jul 18, 2009 7:37 AM

I better not use the saw dust for mulch then. It is from black walnut trees! Thanks for your help!

I had an old hybrid Elm tree cut down and stumb grinded down in summer of 2008 before it was blown down. I let the chips age where they laid. This spring, I incorporated the chips into my clay soil along with aged horse manure in a new flower bed. It help to lighten the soil and provide better drainage. I have had no problems with the plants.