14
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Accepted
What are these curly mushroom-like growths in my mulch?
Definitively a mushroom, a cup fungus of the pezizaceae family. (Precise identification is difficult over the internet.)
What you see are the fruiting bodies - not unlike the apples on a tree. The ...
- 16.3k
12
votes
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What can be done with hazelnut shells?
If you have enough, try using them for mulch on a pathway. They last a long time, are a durable mulch, and make a lovely sound. In the Northwest US you can actually purchase bags of hazelnut shells ...
- 2,522
9
votes
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Is it beneficial to put plastic or landscaping fabric under mulch?
Definitely not plastic - landscape fabric needs to be water/air permeable. The reason fabric's used is to reduce or stop weed germination, particularly when stones are laid over the top. Even that's ...
- 132k
8
votes
What are these curly mushroom-like growths in my mulch?
I'll confirm that the identification of Peziza fungus is accurate in Stephie's answer, and it is a saphrophytic fungus, meaning it merely digests dead material, link below (if you scroll down) shows ...
- 132k
8
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How can I encourage mulch to decompose?
The highest nitrogen fertilizer you can easily find, and water to keep it damp/humid, but not so much as to wash the fertilizer out of it. If you have sufficient privacy, or a dog, urine will also ...
- 23.2k
8
votes
Weed Identification
I planted some Oxalis deppei in the garden at my university last year and it looked just like your plant. It had little dark pink flowers and spread like crazy, from 15 bulbs planted in spring I got ...
- 5,406
8
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What weed covering should I use under my mulch?
You cannot use plastic - it will waterlog after rain. Weed fabric allows water and air through, whereas plastic does not. You can buy heavier duty weed fabric, so you might consider that, but most ...
- 132k
8
votes
What can be done with hazelnut shells?
Yes you can use them for composting, with good composting conditions (greens, browns, temperature, and moisture) they should be no problem for the micro-organisms responsible for composting.
However, ...
- 13.1k
7
votes
Accepted
Do you uproot plants in a no dig garden with mulch
Even with a no dig method, it's still necessary to disturb the soil a little if you want to clear or plant, especially vegetable crops. Remove the plants you no longer need, uprooting them - it doesn'...
- 132k
7
votes
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Should I bury my blackberry/raspberry canes in mulch over winter?
I am zone USDA zone 3 b to 4 and you can't kill blackberry plants. I have mine growing with morning sun in a raised bed beside a concrete foundation. Every year, dead to the ground, every year eight ...
- 58.8k
7
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What can be done with hazelnut shells?
Or you can use empty hazelnut shells for cheese smoking. It is well known that hazelnut shells are one of the best smoke sources for that purpose.
Many famous cheeses have their "smoked" versions, ...
- 5,810
7
votes
What can be done with hazelnut shells?
Hazelnut and many other tree nut shells are packed with BTUs. If you have a wood stove, try tossing them in.
See the following web page for examples: https://www.harvesttimeshells.com/half_shell.html ...
- 1,935
6
votes
Organic mulch as a compost substitute
There shouldn't be any drawbacks, provided it was turned into compost using a hot, aerobic system. Many yard trimmings contain pathogens - fungal infections, insect infestations, so it needs to be ...
- 132k
6
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Accepted
Can compost be used as mulch?
Yes, absolutely. You do not need anything from the store, and you can use your home made compost as a mulch without adding anything on top. If your compost has been produced using a hot aerobic system ...
- 132k
6
votes
Applying straw mulch - should straw touch tree base?
In general, no mulch should be piled up against a woody trunk or woody stem. If you're using straw for insulation purposes because winter is coming, just leave a little clear space, an inch or two all ...
- 132k
6
votes
Can I mulch a plant bed before planting in it?
Yes you can. I've had to do that numerous times in order to help suppress weeds until I can get the shrubs in. I would, however, recommend against it. It can be pretty annoying to have to move all ...
- 1,719
6
votes
Are Oak leaves good for making mulch?
Assuming that all four trees you mention really are Quercus varieties, oak leaves make the best leafmould - they break down faster and make quality leaf mould. The way to produce leafmould is to put ...
- 132k
6
votes
Accepted
What are these divots (holes) in the mulch?
These look like Ant Lion traps to me. Ant Lions are considered beneficial garden insects and are nothing to worry about.
Here's a blog post with a photo of an almost identical situation.
And another ...
- 7,027
5
votes
Are unmulched leaves any good for my tree?
In order for them to provide useful nutrients the next season they need to be chopped. A lawnmower or leaf blower that will inhale and shred leaves works great.
I pile six inches of shredded leaves ...
- 58.8k
5
votes
How long to use mulch when establishing a tree?
It depends on the tree and its natural habitat. If the tree is normally found growing in a forest with its roots shaded by other trees, and its roots covered by forest litter, then that's what you ...
- 23.1k
5
votes
Accepted
How can I encourage mulch to decompose?
There are several steps you can take to speed up decomposition of organic material. Decomposition of organic debris is both a physical and chemical process. Some of the steps listed below are needed ...
- 514
5
votes
Can compost be used as mulch?
A mulch is anything that can be used to slow down evaporation of water from the soil, and inhibits the growth of weeds. You can use plastic, stones, and tree bark and other organic material. If you ...
- 23.1k
5
votes
What is the difference between shredded mulch from free vs garden center sources?
Since your question deals with "shredded mulch" I'll limit my response to that.
The main differences, as far as I see things, are:
Municipal mulch can be free - I like free.
Bagged mulch from garden ...
- 7,027
5
votes
Accepted
What's wrong with planting a tree deeper than the root flare, or mulching higher?
Excellent question! One of my favorites! As I am on a walk or park in a parking lot with trees to find a tree buried too deeply I take the time to pull the soil and mulch AWAY from the bark. I also ...
- 40.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Can I mulch a plant bed before planting in it?
Yes you can mulch before. Here is a great secret to keep your plants to be planted in soil, not the mulch; find a nursery that sells used black plastic pots. Before mulching, put the pots where you ...
- 40.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Orange sponge-like mold growing on mulch - what is it and is it harmful?
Fairly sure you got slime mould Fuligo septica, commonly called dog vomit slime mould. Its substrate (what it grows on) is generally wood chips. It's not a fungus though as slime moulds fit into an ...
- 1,616
5
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Should I bury my blackberry/raspberry canes in mulch over winter?
I never mulched reds, yellows or blacks in the Chicago area. The only problem was the rabbits ate them when there was snow cover on the ground.
- 8,626
5
votes
Accepted
Do I need to put a pile of wood chips on top of my potatoes?
You need to either mound the soil up over the bottoms of your plants or you could use straw and a tomato cage. Don't allow your potatoes to see the sun because then the skin of the potato turns ...
- 40.2k
5
votes
Accepted
What do I do with this pile of branches, collected from pruning?
With a branch pile you can do many things including:
leave them to provide cover for animals
grow mushrooms in them letting them grow good there
burn them
make biochar with them
dig a pit to provide ...
- 8,866
5
votes
Is it better to rake leaves into woods? Or bag them and haul them away?
The best and greenest option is to compost them yourself, on your property. Otherwise, if you have a wooded area where the leaves fall and nothing else is planted there, it's fine to just leave them ...
- 132k
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