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Submitted to: Journal Of Arboriculture
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: There is an increasing interest in using pine straw mulch and enhancing its attractiveness and marketability with colorant application. Colored mulch can provide landscapers with a new dimension in designing visually exciting and unique landscapes. However, information on the feasibility and environmental impact of using such colorants is lacking. The objectives of this investigation were to: 1) test the ability of pine straw to absorb and retain applied colorant for an extended amount of time, and 2) assess the impact of colored and uncolored mulch as well as without mulch on soil temperature, moisture, pH, and weed control. Experimental set up consisted of 45 wooden landscape frames (4' x 4' each) on a plowed field representing 3 applications of each of the 6 colorants, controls and mulch types (pine straw and wood chips). Results showed that pine straw absorbed the colorants, although not as readily as the wood chips, and retained their colors for a year at varying intensities with the blue- and red-colored pine straw retaining their colors best. There was no difference between the colored and uncolored mulches in regulating the soil temperature on an hourly as well as on a daily basis. Temperature in the mulched soil was lower than in the unmulched by as much as 24 degrees F at 2:00 PM. Soil moisture depletion was significantly faster in the unmulched than in the mulched soils. The soil pH was unaffected by the treatments. There was no difference between the wood chip and pine straw mulches in their effectiveness to control weeds. The colorants used appear to be relatively benign to the soil environment and that specific colorants may be exploited for more effective weed control. |
