Can I Use Dead Cedar for Mulch Around Berries?

Berry Type

• Mulch permanent berry plantings, such as raspberry, blackberry, gooseberry and currant patches with cedar wood chips. Mulch strawberries with straw or untreated grass clippings instead. Strawberries need protection from winter freezes and straw makes a lightweight, insulating mulch that is easy to apply. Strawberries plants are also less permanent plantings, typically replaced every three to five years and renovated each fall after harvest. Grass clippings and straw mulches break down in the soil, while a cedar mulch would require removal before any maintenance tasks are accomplished.

Cedar Preparation

• Rent a wood chipper or hire an arborist to chip the dead cedar before applying it to the berry patch. Read all directions carefully and work with a partner when using a wood chipper. Wear close fitting clothing and gloves and do not put your hands near the blades or intake chamber.

Benefits

• Using a dead cedar for mulch has many benefits in the berry patch. Cedar smells wonderful when chipped and may also deter insect pests. It reduces weed growth and conserves moisture, as well. Cedar mulch also stabilizes soil temperatures, reducing heaving during cycles of thawing and freezing common in cold climates.

Considerations

• Contrary to popular opinion, cedar mulches do not damage plants or prevent seed germination, according to Linda Chalker-Scott of the Washington State University Extension. Apply cedar mulch at a depth of 3 to 4 inches in the berry patch and reapply it annually as bare spots appear. Leave 2 to 3 inches of soil free of mulch around the base of the plants.