Another Orchard Question

[sbk]

My father-in-law likes to leave the pruned branches and leaves where they fall, around the tree.

I like to clean them up and drag them far away from the tree.

I feel it keeps away unwanted pests (like termites) and disease, he feels the breakdown of the branches and leaves is beneficial to the soil.

However, from what I have seen tho, the termites move in long before any decomposition occurs.

I am fine if he wants to do this with his mango trees but don't like it when it is done with our avocado trees.

Who is right here?

(Not that I am going to challenge my FIL about this, but if he is right then I will leave our branches where they fall, if I am right then I will happily drag mine out of the way and not say a word---I just want to know what's best for the trees)

[slapout]

Have not seen anyone leave branchs and limbs under fruit trees. The lamyai, mango,lechee, etc when pruned in the village area is cut up to use for firewood for cooking. One BBQ resturant in Chiang Mai uses lamyai for smoking and cooking ribs etc. Those farmers who dont have a use seem to stack it and burn, thus this adds to the haze we see in northern Thailand. The fruit orchards, including avacado in Calif. sure do not leave branches laying under trees. I know thats not Thailand but they must have a good reason to absorb the cost of cleaning after pruning. I would think this would be a ideal breeding ground for borers and various other pests here, and then a short hop to live trees.

[sbk]

My FIL's mango trees aren't anywhere near his house (several KM away) and they make charcoal out of coconut shells so they don't bother dragging the branches back home.

As for the pests, well, that's my thought too, but was hoping for verification.

[Gary A]

My FIL's mango trees aren't anywhere near his house (several KM away) and they make charcoal out of coconut shells so they don't bother dragging the branches back home.

As for the pests, well, that's my thought too, but was hoping for verification.

Buy a chipper and use the chips for mulch around the trees.

ADDED - In fact I have seen chipped wood dried, bagged and sold at garden centers.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Gary A

[sbk]

Seems like mulched wood chips would have the same bug/termite potential

[Gary A]

Seems like mulched wood chips would have the same bug/termite potential

I don't think termites like chipped wood. If it caused pest problems there would be a lot of upset gardeners who use them around their expensive ornamental trees.

[sbk]

I must point out that avocados like good drainage so I am not sure mulching is the best way to go. The branches wouldn't hold in much moisture, so I wouldn't worry too much about the trees getting "wet feet"

[chownah]

All debris is removed from fruit orchards to reduce the chances of harboring pests. A few kilos of aged manure spread around the tree every year or two will more than make up for the nutrients removed by removing the prunings. As an organic gardener I NEVER leave prunings around whatever plant I'm pruning be it tomatoes or be it trees.....consider it good hygiene.

The most important thing generally to remove is dropped fruit as there are pests for some fruits which live in the dropped fruit on the ground around a tree during part of their life cycle at least in the US so probably in Thailand too.

Chownah

[bina]

kibbutz orchards : kiwi, apples, olive, vineyard, nectarine , walnut. almond

no branches or 'stuff' left laying around:

the wood is either collected by some guys from an arab village nearby for fire wood/charcoal making, olives : wood is expensive and used by artists for carving but they dont get pruned often; vineyards and apples and nectarines: wood is piled in huge stacks/cone shaped hills and burned, or ground in a chipper. never have stuff under the trees (it also covers up the drip irrigation systems used in some of the orchards . clean ares around the trees+ less pests like borers and things. almond branches with leaves we give as forage as well as apple branches with leaves.

some trees' leaves also contain poisons to grazing animals (build up of tannin and nitrates/nitrites) when dried (cherry is one example), but are bitter and not eaten from the trees when green.

[sbk]

Thanks guys, I will make an effort to clear up my FIL's leavings then.

The manure idea is a good one, we do have a fairly large pig farm on the island-- I am sure he sells aged manure, will have to get hubby onto him shortly.

[sbk]

OK, another question for you tree people

We have one avocado tree that has never grown. We fertilize, water, prune, it does grow new leaves but never any new serious growth. It grew when we first planted it and then just stalled.

Last week, my husband pruned off a side branch and we saw this:

Is that dark ring something to be worried about?

[Lickey]

I think the rings are caused by all the dead twigs and bracken around the base of the tree joking aside, perhaps they denote wet and dry seasons?

Cheers, Lickey..