°F
weather icon can not load weather

Some palms slow to mold into mulch

Question: I was told by a landscaping company that the fronds from Mexican fan palms cannot be chipped and recycled into mulch because they are too alkaline. This was news to me! Your opinion regarding that palms-too-alkaline-for-mulch theory would be appreciated.

I don't know why they are giving that information on palm fronds. We do not chip and recycle them at the orchard because they decompose so slowly.

Some palms have some very impressive sharp thorns that could impale a tennis shoe or sandal easily. We don't use mesquite for the same reason. Otherwise, we would use them for mulching but probably not for composting due to their slow breakdown.

Whenever plants decompose, they tend to acidify the soil or make the soil less alkaline. If you can chip them small enough, they would be fine to chip, mulch and compost. We don't do it for the above reasons.

Bob Morris is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. He can be reached at morrisr@unce.unr.edu or 257-5555.

THE LATEST
What’s the best schedule for drip irrigation?

The correct amount of water to apply depends on the size of the plant and the number of days between irrigations.

Why did my desert spoon suddenly turn brown?

Desert landscapes need additional deep watering only three or four times each year. Give them deep watering when the air temperatures get hot — don’t wait.