Pine bark mulch and soil pH

[TreeDaddy]

Will this adversely affect soil ph around fruit trees?

Several internet fruit tree sites suggest pine bark mulch acidifies soil and should be avoided around pear, apple trees,etc

Is this a real concern?

bill

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Add some lime to the mulch to cancel out the acidity and you are good to go.

I snagged a truckload of power company trimming crew wood chips that were unfortunately over half pines. I added some lime and campfire ashes to the mulch after I spread it around fruit trees and it really helped my fruit trees in a section of sandy soil.

 

[bigboreblr]

I posted last year about a nice habibtat guy' place for sale on my way to work. He has a small group of 10 apples trees you can see by the road. He completely covered the spot with several inches of tree crew chips. Trees look great. Done similar at my house, just keep making the circles bigger with what chips I get.

 

[SD51555]

I don’t remember the science to a T, but there is a difference between acidifying and organic acid inhibition. What might seem like a pH shift is actually an organic acid inhibition that is temporary and not actually changing pH.

Pine needles and white oak leaves are a good example. I don’t believe either will change your pH, but they do give off a powerful organic acid that inhibits certain other plants.


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[Foggy47]

I don’t remember the science to a T, but there is a difference between acidifying and organic acid inhibition. What might seem like a pH shift is actually an organic acid inhibition that is temporary and not actually changing pH.

Pine needles and white oak leaves are a good example. I don’t believe either will change your pH, but they do give off a powerful organic acid that inhibits certain other plants.


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Plausible. In southern Minnesota where I had some stumps ground out (hard-wood, elm, ash)......you could not get anything to grow there for a few years....unless you did a good job of cleaning up all those wood chips and adding black dirt. While up here in Northern MN....I can grind a pine stumps, disk over it.....and get anything to grow there the following year.