Is Conifer Pine Mulch Toxic or otherwise bad for the garden?

[YMC]

Hi there,

Its Autumn here in Melbourne, Australia. I have a row of conifer pine trees - medium size - dark green leaves. They are about 6 metres tall and are due for a good prune back.

I believe they are called Castlewellan Gold.

They don't have seeds, drop many leaves but they do grow.

Here's a link to a photo.

thought of lopping off the top of the trees- mulching them including the leaves finely - and then using them as mulch for my rose garden. I'm allergic to the pine leaves so I'm getting tree pruner to do the job.

One old grizzled tree pruner however warned me that using fresh conifer pine mulch was a very bad idea and will kill the roses or any other plant.

Is using conifer mulch for the rose garden a bad idea? I didn't realize it was toxic.

[symplastless]

Good questions and I am glad you asked them questions. I have distanced my self from other posters here. They might tell you anything.

Pruning

Dr. Shigo always insisted not to use fresh chips because of disease. However composted for a years was greatly helpful if applied correctly. Do not use fresh chips. The protoplasm from the living parenchyma cells gets smeared all over the place and attract undesirables that can and do do nasty things above as well as below ground. Compost them in a pile for a years and then here are mulching suggestions based on tree biology.

It is a bad idea. One I used once until my professor in tree biology that was a mycologist stooped me.

Not if you compost it for a year or more. The longer the better.

[YMC]

Thanks for replying! Anything I can do to hurry the process? Adding blood and bone or lime etc..?

[symplastless]

You could add reasonable amounts of ammonium nitrate (AN) (fast release nitrogen fertilizer) to the chip pile and that will stimulate the decay fungi. The things is that once the contents (protoplasm) of the parenchyma cells is no more, the problem is over. The faster the wood chips decay probably the faster this happens. AN does have the potential to pollute ground water so please go lightly. Also adding a little water and turning the pile form time to time will help. The micro we are concerned with are those that attack defenseless cells. Usually when you start to get that good earth smell and the color darkens you are alright. I decide by smell.

[YMC]

That sounds like a good idea!! Thank you for that advice!

[YMC]

Thanks Billy.

My garden is mainly clay soil. A bit of pine mulch would probably do it good.

The trees look pretty healthy to me. Green, strong, no sign of yellowing, any more healthier and I think that'd get up and walk. I don't think they suffer from any disease.

The latest tree pruner suggested placing the mulch in a seperate part of the garden which is hidden. We'll do that and keep it there for awhile til its safer to use.