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Petersburg, Mi

I have had some people ask me about the use of wood mulch in the pumpkin patch and I do not have an answer for them so I thought I would ask you all. What is the pros and cons of using wood mulch in the pumpkin patch. It is untreated mulch.

5/24/2013 10:22:43 AM

BC, Canada

http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/Myths/Wood%20chips%202007.pdf

5/24/2013 12:37:52 PM

Upa Creek, MO

I personally wouldn't use it because some would become incorporated into the soil, and lots of wood in the soil can really hold up nitrogen. Ask Jeremy Robinson.

5/24/2013 1:18:26 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Wood Mulch will rob your Nitrogen...Not Good at All

5/24/2013 1:46:22 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Wood mulch will only tie up nitrogen at the very surface of the soil, unless you manage to incorporate it into the soil by accident. I use wood mulch for my vegetable garden. It is a no-till garden and the plants do increadibly well there. Mulching this area allows me to focus more time on caring for the pumpkin plants.

5/24/2013 2:17:51 PM

South Hero, VT

Since Atlantic Giant plants have shallow root systems, the use of wood chips in a pumpkin patch is not recommended.

Better to compost the wood chips with nitrogen rich materials and use the compost in the pumpkin patch.

5/24/2013 3:28:48 PM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

also may get some termites in there

5/24/2013 4:05:10 PM

Ohio

Grim, heres my opinion on the wood chips and I could be wrong, but, I agree with the guys about loss of nitrogen if the chips are tilled into your soil, but then the other hand, if the wood chips are on top of the soil and not breaking down at a alarming speed, not much nitrogen is loss, espically being at the top of your soil, wood chips on top of the soil that are put in flower beds last a long time before breaking down.

5/24/2013 8:38:58 PM

Muddy Waters

Will the decaying wood bring on disease??just asking??

5/24/2013 8:41:57 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

They can be fine in certain applications, on top of the soil, if you add plenty of another nitrogen source to make up for the tie-up that will occur as the wood chips break down. I would not use them in the pumpkin patch however, there are better things you can use like straw, and why bother going to all that trouble putting something down that could limit your potential? My pumpkin plants are way too important for that.

5/25/2013 9:13:33 AM

Buffalo, New York

Some might not be a problem, just dont do it like I did.

Oh the Horror of 2010, how could I have been so stupid ?

Live and Learn I guess

5/25/2013 7:45:58 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Lots depends on what your using. Now if it was a wood type base mulch, you can use it with no problems. I've tried it and it worked great. Now if it's just thick chunks of wood like wood chips and never composted, I wouldn't use them

5/25/2013 8:01:22 PM

Petersburg, Mi

Thanks for giving me your thoughts all. I will pass the info on and let them decide. Thanks.

5/25/2013 10:48:25 PM

South Hero, VT

Here's another website which confirms what others have said above. Diseases are not so much a concern as nitrogen depletion.

http://perrysperennials.info/articles/woodchips.html

5/26/2013 11:01:42 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

we have a compost plant here where I live I had the compost tested and it didn't have anything harmful also I believe that the nitrogen content of the composted woodchips and organic compounds was pretty good. I'd stay away from the woodchips persay but the municipal compost that does have some woodchips seems to be just fine especially as a top dressing. just my opinion.

5/27/2013 1:29:29 AM