Free Mulch

Discussion in 'Member's Gallery' started by eclecticgarden, Oct 2, 2014.

  1. eclecticgarden

    eclecticgarden Seedling

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    The power company hired a contractor to trim the trees away from the power lines near our home. They chip everything they cut and it makes a nice mulch. My wife asked one of the workers if we could have some of it and they were more than happy to oblige since it kept them from having to haul it off. Three truckloads later we finally had to tell them to stop bringing it.

    I mentioned using the mulch in my garden in my latest blog entry. I also put some on the compost pile. Now I'm finding more places to use it.

    [​IMG]
    3 loads of mulch ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )

    [​IMG]
    The mulched garden ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )
     
    Frank, eileen and S-H like this.
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  3. Tina

    Tina Young Pine

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    Looks nice. I am getting 3 trees in my yard pruned too and I am wondering if I should keep all that mulch.
     
  4. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    I'm green with envy! All that lovely mulch in your garden helping keep weeds down and building up the soil--and you have more to use! Gosh, some folks have all the luck (and mulch). :smt023
     
  5. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    :smt088 Can you tell that I'm equally green with envy? Watch out some of that mulch just may disappear if I can get a flight to you. ;)
     



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  6. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

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    What kind of trees were they? I've read that some trees don't make good mulch for some reason or other.
    Personally, I like the cedar.... BUT... if I had truckloads of free mulch... I wouldn't be picky.
    Looks great!
     
  7. eclecticgarden

    eclecticgarden Seedling

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    It is mostly oak and pine. Of course any other tree hanging near the power lines could be in the mix.
     
  8. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

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    Gotta love free mulch. I hope there's not a lot of oak in the mulch. I've read that they put out something to keep other plants from growing. I'm not certain though. Last year we were lucky enough to get a huge load of free mulch when they took out a large old elm tree in the city park.
     
  9. Kay

    Kay Girl with Green Thumbs

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    Good for you! That's a great addition to your garden.
    I also have access to free mulch; working for a landscaping company. We make our own by double grinding a mix of hardwoods. It is super!
     
  10. tkhooper

    tkhooper Seedling

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    I know lack walnut puts out something to keep other plants from growing but I've never heard that about oak.

    What are your white cages for? inquiring minds what to know.
     
  11. eclecticgarden

    eclecticgarden Seedling

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    TK- I have free roaming chickens and they love mustard greens when they are young and tender. The cages keep them from eating them to the ground.
     
  12. tkhooper

    tkhooper Seedling

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    hum I wonder what other animals might be deterred.
     
  13. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Black walnuts exude juglone, which deters plants from growing. Oak is just a bit acidic, and shouldn't do any harm, especially since it is mixed in with other woods.
    The cages deter rabbits! We have to cage any young and tender plant until it is big enough to fight off the local cottontails. We fenced the small garden, and I put anything like spinach, beans, lettuce, etc. in that garden to keep the bunnies from dining well.
     
    Henry Johnson likes this.
  14. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

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    We don't have a problem with any four legged animals (knock on wood!) but we have to put a light weight cover on our chard to keep the leaf miners of them and also the broccoli to keep the cabbage flies from laying eggs on them.
     

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