Literature on Landscape Use of Wood Chips

Compiled by Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Extension Urban Horticulturist, WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center

Scientific Publications (Externally Reviewed)

• Anderson, J.T., H.G. Thorvilson, and S.A. Russell. 2002. Landscape materials as repellents of red imported fire ants. Southwest Entomologist 27:155-163.
• Archbold, D.D., J.G. Strang and D.M. Hines. 1989. Yield component responses of ‘Hull Thornless’ blackberry to nitrogen and mulch. HortScience, Vol. 24(4): 604-607.
• Arthur, M.A. and Y. Wang. 1999. Soil nutrients and microbial biomass following weed-control treatments in a Christmas tree plantation. Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol. 63 (3): 629-637.
• Badejo, M.A., T.I. Nathaniel and G. Tian. 1998. Abundance of springtails (Collembola) under four agroforestry tree species with contrasting litter quality. Biology and Fertility of Soils, Vol. 27 (1): 15-20.
• Buban, T., B. Helmeczi, J. Papp, E. Dorgo, L. Jakab, I. Kajati, I. Merwin, F. Polesny, W. Muller and R.W. Olszak. 1996. IFP-compatible ground-cover management systems in a new-planted apple orchard. Bulletin OILB-SROP, Vol. 19 (4): 263-267.
• Buggeln, R., and R. Rynk. 2002. Self-heating in yard trimmings: conditions leading to spontaneous combustion. Compost Science and Utilization 10:162-182.
• Cahil, A., L. Chalker-Scott and K. Ewing. 2005. Wood-chip mulch improves plant survival and establishment at no-maintenance restoration site (Washington). Ecological Restoration, Vol. 23: 212-213.
• Chalker-Scott, L. In review. Comparative analysis of landscape mulches. Submitted to Journal of Environmental Horticulture.
• Davis, D. D., L.J. Kuhns, and T.L. Harpster. 2005. Use of mushroom compost to suppress artillery fungi. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, Vol. 23 (4): 212-215.
• Duncan, R.A., J.J. Stapleton and M.V. McKenry. 1992. Establishment of orchards with black polyethylene film mulching: effect on nematode and fungal pathogens, water conservation, and tree growth. Journal of Nematology, Vol 24 (4): 681-687.
• Duryea, M.L., R.J. English and L.A. Hermansen. 1999a. A comparison of landscape mulches: Chemical, allelopathic, and decomposition properties. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 25(2):88-96.
• Duryea, M.L., J.B. Huffman, R.J. English and W. Osbrink. 1999b. Will subterranean termites consume landscape mulches? Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 25 (3): 143-149.
• Ferm, A., J. Hytonen, S. Lilja and P. Jylha. 1994. Effects of weed control on the early growth of Betula pendula seedlings established on an agricultural field. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 9 (4): 347-359.
• Foshee, W.G., W.D. Goff, K.M. Tilt, J.D. Williams, J.S. Bannon and J.B. Witt. 1996. Organic mulches increase growth of young pecan trees. HortScience, Vol. 31 (5): 811-812.
• Fraedrich, S.W. and D.L. Ham. 1982. Wood chip mulching around maples: effect on tree growth and soil characteristics. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 8 (4): 85-89.
• Franz, H. 1984. Agrarokologische Studien in NO-Brasilien (Agroecological research in the northeast of Brazil ). Bodenkultur, Vol. 35 (1): 13-32.
• Greenly, K., and D. Rakow. 1995. The effects of mulch type and depth on weed and tree growth. Journal of Arboriculture 21:225-232.
• Gut, W., F. Weibel and W. Jaggi. 1990. Auswirkungen von Abdeckmaterialen auf die Bodenfruchtbarkeit (Effects of mulching materials on soil fertility). Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Obst und Weinbau, Vol. 126 (25): 685-691.
• Horowitz, M. and J.M. Thomas. 1994. Couverture du sol pour la gestion des mauvaises herbes (Soil cover for weed management). Maitrise des adventices par voie non chimique. Communications de la quatrieme conference internationale I.F.O.A.M. 2 nd Edition, pp. 149-154.
• Iles, J.K. and M.S. Dosmann. 1999. Effect of organic and mineral mulches on soil properties and growth of ‘Fairview Flame R’ red maple trees. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 25 (3): 163-167.
• Jacobs, K.A. 2005. The potential of mulch to transmite three tree pathogens. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 31 (5): 235-241.
• Koski, R. and W.R. Jacobi. 2004. Tree pathogen survival in chipped wood mulch. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 30 (3): 165-171.
• Lerberghe, V. and P. Balleux. 2001. Le paillage des plantations forestieres (Mulch in forest plantations). Foret Privee, Vol. 44 (258): 33-43.
• Lillaram, N.T., and B.V.V. Rao. 1980. Leachings from eucalyptus leaves have no adverse effect on germination and growth of paddy. Current Research 9:202-203.
• Long, C.E., B.L. Thorne, N.L. Breisch and L.W. Douglass. 2001. Effect of organic and inorganic landscape mulches on subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) foraging activity. Environmental Entomology, Vol 30 (5): 832-836.
• Martin, P.J., and R. Poultney. 1992. Survival and growth of clove seedlings in Zanzibar. 1. Effects of mulching and shade crops. Tropical Agriculture 69:365-373.
• Maupin, G.O., D. Fish, J. Zultowsky, E.G. Campos, and J. Piesman. 1991. Landscape ecology of Lyme disease in a residential area of Westchester County, New York. American Journal of Epidemiology 133:1105-1113.
• McDonald, H.G., J.M. Smith and C.P. Britt. 1996. The effectiveness of organic mulches on weed control in farm woodlands. Aspects of Applied Biology, Vol 44: 63-68.
• McKenzie, C.L., S.L. Lapointe, and L.W. Duncan. 2001. Landscape fabric as a physical barrier to neonate Diaprepes abbreviatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Florida Entomologist 84:721-722.
• Mengel, D.L., C.B. Davey, and D.K. Cassel. 1993. First-year survival and height-growth of red ceiba following various site preparation techniques on vertic soils in northern Colombia. New Forests 7:287-303.
• Merwin, I.A. and W.C. Stiles. 1994. Orchard groundcover management impacts on apple tree growth and yield, and nutrient availability and uptake. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, Vol. 119 (2): 209-215.
• Munir, A.D., N.M. Majid, I. Abdol and G.S. Khan. 1998. Effects of mulching on the growth of interplanted Acacia mangium on sandy tin-tailings in Peninsular Malaysia. Lyallpur Akhbar, Vol. 65 (35): 3.
• Niggli, U., F.P. Weibel and C.A. Potter. 1988. Unkrautregulierung in einer Dauerkultur durch Bodenbedeckung mit organischen Materialien (Weed control in a perennial crop using an organic mulch). Zeitschrift fur Pflanzenkrankheiten und Pflanzenschutz, Vol. 11: 357-365.
• Pfammatter, W. and A. Dessimoz. 1997. Influence de l’irrigation et de la couverture du sol sur le developpement et le rendement de jeunes pommiers (Influence of irrigation and ground cover on development and yields of young apple trees). Revue Suisse de Viticulture, d’Arboriculture et d’Horticulture, Vol. 29 (5): 301-304.
• Pickering, J.S. and A. Shepherd. 2000. Evaluation of organic landscape mulches: composition and nutrient release characteristics. Arboricultural Journal, Vol. 23(2-3): 175-187.
• Schumann, A.W., K.M. Little, and N.S. Eccles. 1995. Suppression of seed germination and early seedling growth by plantation harvest residues. South African Journal of Plant and Soil 12:170-172.
• Siipilehto, J. 2001. Effect of weed control with fibre mulches and herbicides on the initial development of spruce, birch and aspen seedlings on abandoned farmland. Silva Fennica, Vol. 35 (4): 403-414.
• Singh, A.K. and R.B. Singh. 1999. Effect of mulches on nutrient uptake of Albizia procera and subsequent nutrient enrichment of coal mine overburden. Journal of Tropical Forest Science, Vol. 11 (2): 345-355.
• Steward, L.G., T.D. Sydnor and B. Bishop. 2003. The ease of ignition of 13 landscape mulches. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 29(6): 317-321.
• Sunderland, K., and F. Samu. 2000. Effects of agricultural diversification on the abundance, distribution, and pest control potential of spiders: A review. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 95:1-13.
• Szwedo, J. and M. Maszczyk. 2000. Effects of straw-mulching of tree rows on some soil characteristics, mineral nutrient uptake and cropping of sour cherry trees. Journal of Fruit and Ornamental Plant Research, Vol. 8 (3-4): 147-153.
• Townsend, T.G., G.H. Solo, T. Tolaymat, and K. Stook-K. 2003. Impact of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) in wood mulch. Science of the Total Environment 309:173-185.
• van Nierop, E.T. and D.P White. 1958, Evaluation of several organic mulching materials on a sandy loam forest nursery soil. Journal of Forestry Vol. 56 (1): 23-27.
• Watson, G.W. and G. Kupkowski. 1991. Effects of a deep layer of mulch on the soil environment and tree root growth. Journal of Arboriculture, Vol. 17 (9): 242-245.
• Zink, T.A. and M.F. Allen. 1998. The effects of organic amendments on the restoration of a disturbed coastal sage scrub habitat. Restoration Ecology, Vol. 6 (1): 52-58.

University and Government Research Reports and Web Pages (Internally Reviewed)

• Chalker-Scott, L. 2002. The myth of pathogenic wood chips. (pdf)
• Chalker-Scott, L. 2003. The myth of allelopathic wood chips. (pdf)
• Ecological Agriculture Projects, McGill University. Mulching for weed control. http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/general/home_frames.htm.
• Perez-Sierra, A., G. Laflamme, J.A. Berube, and G. Bussieres. 2003. Preliminary study on the survival and spread of Armillaria mellea in mulches in gardens. Information Report Laurentian Forestry Centre, Quebec Region, Canadian Forest Service, No. LAU-X-126: 436-438.

Proceedings from Conferences and Meetings (Not Reviewed)

• Dochinger, L.S. 1956. New concepts of Verticillium wilt disease of maple. Phytopathology, Vol. 46: 467 (abstract).
• Foreman, G.L., D.I. Rouse, and B.D. Hudelson. 2002. Wood chip mulch as a source of Verticillium dahliae. Phytopathology 92:S26 (abstract).
• Kuhns, L.J. 1992. Efficacy and phytotoxicity of three landscape herbicides with and without a light mulch. Proceedings, 46 th annual meeting of the Northeastern Weed Science Society, pp. 85-89.
• Stinson, J.M., G.H. Brinen, D.B. McConnell and R.J. Black. 1990. Evaluation of landscape mulches. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society, Vol. 103:372-377.
• Zaragoza, C., S. Moya and G. Martinez. 1995. Efectos de las coberturas organicas a base de cortezas de pino y restos de poda en un huerto de frutales (Effects of mulches based on pine bark and pruning residues in a fruit orchard). Proceedings of the 1995 Congress of the Spanish Weed Science Society, Huesca, Spain, pp.283-290.

Textbooks (Externally Reviewed)

• Harris, R.W., J.R. Clark, and N.P. Matheny. 2004. Arboriculture: Integrated management of landscape trees, shrubs, and vines, 4th edition. Prentice Hall, Inc, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 578 pages.

Extension Bulletins (Internally Reviewed)

• Hoitink, H.A.J., and M.S. Krause. 1999. Control of nuisance and detrimental molds (Fungi) in mulches and composts. Special Circular Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center 165: 66-69.

Industry/Popular Articles (Not Reviewed)

• Pair, J.C. 1994. Adaptability of evergreen rhododendrons to the great plains as influenced by landscape exposure. American Rhododendron Society Journal 48:69-72.