Will our learned n knowledgeable experts and seniors give more first hand info on the multitude of mulching benefits.
Google search(TNAU website) has revealed that it is very helpful for trees to promote micro organisms, control temp, prevent loss of top soil, prevents crust formation, keeps soil loose thereby aiding aeration,prevents loss of soil moisture.
Mulched trees give better yeild, roots are wide spread and stronger,feeding roots very active.
Biggest benefit is prevents weeding, thereby preventing theft of fertilizer applied, resulting in well nourished trees.
What is better, Organic or InOrganic mulch? Hav made arrangements for both, samples of weed mat placed undr a few trees, one foot away from stem.
Mulcher chipper shredder being ordered shortly.
Members kindly guide and advise if i am going wrong somewhere.
I am a recent convert to horti/agriculture-In short a NOVICE, but eager,willing and happy to learn.
MULCHING
Out of four wheels of ZBSF, mulching is also plays important role. 1. Mrudhaachadhana (Soil Mulching, cultivation of soil) 2.Kashtakshaadhana (Straw Mulching) & 3.Sajeevachaadhana (Live Mulching).
MRUDHAACHAADHANA (Soil Mulching, cultivation of soil)
Why to cultivate soil?
Reason 1.To provide Air, There are microorganisms residing in soil for which oxygen is required, even for roots also. If air is not supplied to soil, all microorganisms will die without oxygen. How deep should flow the soil? 4.5 inch to soil is contains maximum microorganisms and roots residing, 90% micro roots are residing. Therefore plug soil only up to the depth of 4.5” soil. This 4.5” soil is creator & storage of humus and aerobic bacteria existed to create humus, they cannot live without oxygen, if plugging is deeply flowed, then all these bacteria will destroy. Anaerobic bacteria live below 4.5” soil. Do not plug soil with Tractor.
KAASHTACHAADHANA/STRAW MULCHING is cancelled due to shortage of time.
All starw meterials are ustilized as dry mulching available either in your land or any other place, it will be very useful to maintain dearest climate conditions in the orchards through dry/straw mulching too.
SAJEEVAACHAADHANA/LIVE MULCHING through inter crops and combined crops
Plant body required nitrogen therefore combines all legumes crops to fix nitrogen in plant body, green gram 60 days, black gram 90
Drumstick & Gliricedia perennial, dypod in to mono pod crops to fix nitrogen. Any legume crop under horticulture plantation is enough to fix nitrogen. Stoping water in paddy filed will not allow air to enter in to roots through water; hence Glomus fungus residing near paddy plant roots, collect oxygen from atmosphere, and provide it in to plant roots.
Hi Girish Bhai,
hav you done organic or inorganic mulching for mango trees.
hav you faced any problems?
(1)how do you stop mulching material from being blown away by strong winds.
(2)How often do you mulch-every year?
(3)Hav you tried inorganic weed mat mulching-lasts for about 4-5years(as per manufacturer)
(4)What is your mulching medium-STRAW? if not what other material used and Which chipper shredder employed?
I have done mulching by organic method and also by using inorganic method .
Organic mulching-- by laying green grass around the the periphery of main stem of a tree / plant.
eventually this grass decompses. however one draw back is if not taken proper care it may catch fire thereby destroying the entire plant or field.
Inorganic method – by using silver and black plastic film. the results are 100% satisfying with resulting approx.20% to 40 % more yield of trees / plant.
Girish Bhai,
Thankyou for replying.
If i am using both organic and inorganic mulch will there be any harm??
After clipping grass off the field, if i lay it as mulch on the peripheri of tree stem and also cover the mulch with plastic weed mat(this will solve hazard of accidental fire also).
1)Will it result in faster decomposition of mulch?
2)Will it benefit the trees in any way? Inorganic mulch will last 4-5yrs if taken care of properly.
Kindly advise.
Rafiq Yusuf
After purchasing my land this year in April which is peak summer I tried to multch my mango trees (around 3 years old) with straw grass and drip to irrigate the plants. I was adviced to remove the grass as some miscreants or jealosy neighbours may ignite fire which can destroy the whole plants. This summer I am thinking of collecting old flux banners which I feel would be cheaper and also as they are white in color may catch less heat and use them to cover the multched grass.
Hi Srinivas,
Thanyou for replying
Weed matt would be better because its woven and allows water and air to pass.
Quite cheap @25/- mtr, at the most 2-3mtr needed per tree.
I hav opted for weed matt, waiting for effects to show.
Rafiq yusuf
Girish bhai is this plain plastic sheet used in strawberry cultivation or woven plastic mat.
I got the quote from manufacturer in gujrat.
Can you please arrange a sample cutting,will pay postage courier/charges.
Rafiq Yusuf
Dear all,
Mulching is a concept where summer predominates vis-a-vis soil is poor.
Advantage of mulching
1.it reduce evaporation loss of water thro’ land surface
2.it arrest weeds growth
it enhance favorable micro climate near root zone.These are all direct effect of mulching and invariably used both in organic and conventional farming.
If soil is light like porus,gravel red earth it quickly lose water thro’ evaporation particularly during summer. Further all much material will not hold same value. As for as possible use plant waste . because when you use plant waste as mulch better use combination of fungal and bacterial culture which not only decompose organic plant waste but also convert it into a valuable plant nutrients before next crop is raised.Suppose if you raise perennial fruit crops like in tropical and hot and low rainfall area, better use plant waste like coir pith, coconut husk and whatever plant waste available in your area in such a way that, if it is a mango tree with poor soil
1.form a weed free basin around the mango tree to the dimension of 5-6ft radius, fork the soil on the surface, place either coir pith or coconut hush in a single or double layer and place either tank silt or light clay soil over the mulch in thin layer and then irrigate whenever water is is available.Further here also add bacterial and fungal culture over the mulch if possible
when you do like this the organic mulch of plant waste will keep the micro climate around root zone with increased water retention capacity,increased microbial population and activity, improved soil structure and texture over the time.
More important is that the feeding roots ie,volume of root hairs will be more under mulched condition that too near top 4 inch where active absorption of water and nutrients takes place.
I find no time to post enormous details associated with mulching . further I think this is enough to follow in case of mulching in mango plantation.Wish you best of luck in your endeavour.
Basically we would like to draw your attention that similar conditions exist in Saudi Arabia/Gaza/Israel etc yet they are able to grow plants and export its produce to many countries worldwide.
Their methods is an key to saving water and this has been implemeted in one big farm in N.India also.
This process is called Mulching using Mulch mats for each tree. I had done this for Kinnows plants in Haryana whose produce is being exported directly to USA -Many in India do not even know what is Kinnows fruits which is like oranges but are not oranges.
We used specially treated Black color woven mats with special methods of laying on the ground around trees so that drip irrigation pipe passes beneath the mats.What happens is that the drip irrigation is operated once a day only.The moisture at roots is preserved and drawn by trees only when necessary.Retention of moisture keeps the ground live and fertilisers (if used ) will also percolate to the roots.
Specific advantages are:
1.Water conservation.
2. Fertilisers evaporation is prevented due to this mat as cover.
3.No parasite nematodes(white powder like marks on trees/leaves) can grab all the foods of the trees from roots.Trees stay healthy and the mats can be reused for two seasons- roughly two years or even more.
4.Air exchange to roots will help in faster growth- not possible when films are used.
5.No weed growth is possible as there shall be no sunlight below the mats used -hence these mats used on mango trees can be called as is known worldwide as “weed killer”.
We do not advise use of plastic films as it is being banned by govts (plastic bags ban) , also it cannot withstand windy conditions on coasts and flyaway to be eaten by goats etc.
These black colored woven fabric treated is specially made in flat looms -textile term using Polyproylene (PP)raw material.Traditionally PP material exposed to sunlight/or for that matter all plastics material will degrade quickly due to sun’s UV rays and will break to pieces and flutter away.
To prevent this phenomenon , we need to make the fabric have additives that will prevent such action by sunlight and extend its life maximum upto 3yrs.Since these mats will be used to cover mango trees roots area- roughly 4 ft diameter mats or square mats , the effect of sunlight is absorbed and it stays for a long time.Now this additive with a little carbon powder(hence black) extends the life and also prevents any weed growth as black cover screen given by the fabric prvents sunlight to enter the soil around the tree eliminating the growth of grass/weeds etc.No weeds means no black ants etc and this helps in helping mangoes grow better and grow more bigger and can be very pulpy as well.
Hi
I want mulch mango trees in the farm?
Plastic mulching advisable?
Colour matter silver or black?
Where to buy mulching sheets in Hyderabad?
I want to try on few trees as trial!!
