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Can rabbit manure be used as mulch around plants?

March 11, 2021 • Leave a Comment

We have a pet house rabbit that is litter trained. Can the manure and litter (made from recycled newsprint) be used as mulch in a perennial bed or around trees and shrubs?

This sounds like a gold mine since rabbits are vegetarians. But it comes with significant cautions. Rabbit manure is higher in nitrogen than even chicken manure. It also contains phosphorus. Nitrogen is great for leaf production. The phosphorus is good for fruit and flower production. So consider exactly what you will be enhancing with its application. Average N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) analysis of composted rabbit manure is 2-1-0.8, which is relatively low compared to other commercial products. In order for the manure to be useful, it must be hot composted, preferably for a year, to reduce the probability of transmitting any pathogens lurking in the litter. A hot compost pile should measure at least 150 degrees in temperature.

Composting the litter changes the material into a form plants can better use. It also allows odors to dissipate. After the year-long composting, it should be applied to the soil in late fall and worked in. Preferably, it should not be used as mulch and never uncomposted, as the high level of nitrogen can actually burn and damage plants, even with the newsprint base. Since it has to be worked into the soil to be effective, you might find this easier with your perennial bed in fall than disturbing the roots of trees and shrubs.

How do I remove unwanted scrub trees?

March 1, 2021 • Leave a Comment

We have scrub trees growing in our yard (around the fence line and in a crack between our patio and house). What is the best way to kill the trees and their root system without damaging our home, fence or grass?

Although a little labor intensive, the most effective way to remove scrub trees is to cut them off at ground level. Use sharp hand pruners, loppers, or small pruning saws to make a clean cut. Use bleach handwipes to clean the blades of all tools used to avoid spreading any bacteria to your desirable plants. Dry them well to prevent rust.

Next, apply an herbicide product to the cut stubs that contains the ingredient triclopyr. Use a sponge brush dipped in the product to daub directly on larger cut stubs. For pencil-width stubs, you can use a narrow-stream spray bottle. Be careful not to spray on a windy day and use cardboard shields to protect any nearby plants you want to save. Read the label directions carefully before applying, and wear protective gloves and clothing.

Video: ID and Control Unwanted Trees and Shrubs

How do I get get hazelnuts to produce fruit?

February 13, 2021 • Leave a Comment

I now have 5 seedling hazelnut bushes growing, in conjunction with National Arbor Day. They are still quite small, but I would like to know if there is a special fertilizer to boost the growth of hazelnuts.

Can you spell “patience”? Nut trees or shrubs may be listed as fast growers, but it takes several years before they are mature enough to produce good edible fruit. In this case at least 6 years, maybe as long as 12 years. After that long there will only be nuts if you have a minimum of two varieties of hazelnut because, like apple trees, they are not “self-fruitful” and need a second variety nearby to achieve cross-pollination between the varieties. And then you will have to battle the wildlife that also enjoys them! There really is no magic pill fertilizer to make your hazelnut trees grow faster to the point where they produce those wonderful fruits more quickly. Instead, make sure you get a soil test for the area in which they are planted to know the pH and the nutrient level of the site. Hazelnut trees (Corylus avellana, C. americana, C. colurna ) like a pH of 6 to 7. Although they will grow and produce fruit in shallow soils, they prefer a well-drained site with plenty of organic matter. Sandy and clay soils both benefit from cultivating in composted organic amendments.

Hazelnuts were often established as hedgerows in Europe and Australia since the plant’s natural characteristic is shrubby as opposed to single stem. Often for nut production, they are kept pruned to a single trunk and can produce a deep taproot. Although they do produce many shallow surface feeder roots, they prefer not to be moved once planted. Hazelnuts also don’t mind the cold winter temperatures of Michigan. They actually need a chilling of a couple months in the low 30’s to help them toward fruit production. However, they really do not care for drying winds. So while they are still young and easily moved, make sure you have sited them properly.

Related: Growing Fruit in Michigan

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