Abstract
Mulches are an alternative to herbicidal control of weeds in orchards. Mulches may affect soil nutrient levels and consequently alter tree growth, fruit yield, and quality. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of cultivation, straw mulch, geotextile mulch, grass cover, a cover crop mixture of lupin and wild carrot, and manure compost mulch on extractable soil nutrients in two newly established dwarf apple orchards in Quebec. In 1992, manure compost and straw mulches resulted in higher soil NO3−-N and K relative to those levels under ground cover. Levels of soil NO3−-N were related to soil water content under any particular mulch. Straw mulch resulted in high July NO3−-N levels and low September levels of soil NO3−-N. Geotextile and cultivation treatments resulted in higher September NO3−-N levels relative to July. Soil under manure compost tended to have higher P levels than soil under other treatments. There was little or no effect of mulch treatments on extractable levels of soil NH4+-N, Ca, or Mg. Key words: Orchard, apple, mulches, geotextiles, straw, nutrients, manure compost, grass sod
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