Shredded wood mulch and nitrogen deficiency

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KaylyRed Watertown, WI(Zone 5a) Apr 08, 2008

I use shredded wood mulch in my gardens. It's easy to find, and I like the way it looks and the way it controls weeds. But I've read that wood mulches can leach nitrogen from the ground. Should I be fertilizing to replenish the nitrogen? Is top dressing with compost enough to compensate or should I be looking into something with a little more "kick?"

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JasperDale Long Beach, CA(Zone 10a) Apr 08, 2008

As long as you're not tilling the wood mulch into the soil, you won't have a nitrogen deficiency issue. It's when you mix it into the soil that you get a problem...the nitrogen goes to breaking down the mulch at the expense of the plant(s).

Top dressing with good compost is better as it's already broken down and can work it's way into the soil.

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Apr 08, 2008

It depends on what type of wood was used for the mulch, but you would need to have tons of it to make a huge difference, adding compost is a better mulch for the soil construction and root feed, but not everyone has this available, adding a handful of blood/fish and bone meal bought from the store is a natural feed and plants get a boost from this over a longer period. Good luck. WeeNel.

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KaylyRed Watertown, WI(Zone 5a) Apr 09, 2008

Thanks for the great advice, JasperDale and WeeNel. :)

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