your thoughts on using crushed limestone for mulch around fruit trees

[willy]

What are your thoughts on using crushed limestone as a mulch around fruit trees?

Thank you.

 

[buckvelvet]

I have used it, not as 'mulch' per say but as a way to supress weeds. I've put down weed fabric (in this case black plastic painters would use) and covered it in crushed limestone, poke holes in the plastic, when it rains the water filters down to the roots and over time supplied a nice dose of lime to my otherwise sour michigan blow sand.

It was like $5's where i live to get the back of my truck filled w/ crushed limestone.

 

[willy]

Thank you Buck for your thoughts. What is your soil ph there?

I mean it as a weed barrier as well as a moisture saver. My thoughts are, it is still porous enough for moisture but tight enough for little weed production. the ph around in the areas I planted are in the 5.6 to 5.8 zone. I have a large free supply of it. The size of the mixed rock consists of fine to 1 inch coarse.

 

[buckvelvet]

My PH is right around 4.7.

 

[H20fwler]

If you have a free supply sounds like a winner. The slow lime release is a bonus too.

 

[OakSeeds]

works wonders for ERC

 

[Freeborn]

Sounds like a good idea, is there any concern of raising the PH to High? I have put down p-rock but only a small amount and in fact I was thinking this summer I might get a load of p-rock to cover my landscape fabric. Maybe I should re-think that and go to crushed limestone.

 

[NE PA QDM]

I love using crushed 2b stone. Doesn't add much for ph but does mulch quite well and provides thermal relief from extreme temps and keeps roots from drying out. Also keeps out the voles. Huge proponent of it.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We've been using it for 5 years now at camp. At planting, I put down a 3' x 3' piece of landscape fabric with a small slit in the middle to slide down over the whip. Install aluminum window screen around the trunk for mouse / vole protection. We then cover the entire 3' x 3' fabric with 4" of crushed limestone ( pea-sized ). This covers the lower 4" of screen also. DONE. In 5 years - no rodent probs. and this system keeps weeds down. I spray a light shot of gly around the perimeter of the 4 ft. dia. cages to keep weeds/grass from creeping into the gravel. It's worked well for us.

 

[willy]

Thanks all for your thoughts. Good to hear your experience with it BnB. I have a supply that I basically can't exhaust for my personal use.

My major concern was the possible elevation of ph to unhealthy levels.

 

[Telemark]

This has become very frustrating in Norway. A bag of 25kg limestone pellets is $20. An industrial sack of 600kg lime is $100.

It is confusing and annoying.

 

[Charman03]

2b's are about $25/ton here