Organic Mulches Affect Soil and Leaf Nutrient Levels of Young Pecan Trees

Abstract

Soil and leaf nutrient levels were compared from young pecan (Carya illinoensis [Wangenh.] K. Koch) trees mulched with leaves, pine bark nuggets, pine straw, grass clippings, or chipped limbs; and from unmulched trees with bermudagrass sod. Soil beneath grass-clipping mulch showed an increase in soil potassium (K) levels as compared to all other treatments except chipped limbs. Foliar iron (Fe) for the pine bark nuggets and leaf treatments were higher than for the pine-straw and chippedlimb treatments. Leaf manganese (Mn) levels for the grass-clipping treatment were higher than those for sod, pine straw, chipped limbs, or leaf treatments. Overall, the nutritional differences among mulch treatments were small, suggesting that growth differences were attributed to other factors.