David Fleming

I was wondering about old hardwood splits.

I think they were iron bark posts.

I pulled down alot recently about 30 all rotten and what not.

Would they still  be good to just bury randomly in the pasture about 60 deep and flatten as much as possible.

I was thinking to bury some like a square garden bed around some of my young fruit trees except fully buried with old lucerne and eggs then the roots will stretch out in time as they grow and suddenly tap into a massive garden treat.

Hi from Australia.

I am in a sub tropical area with about 850mm rain avg

I have 10 acres and very hard clay soil that chokes trees when raining and cracks everywhere when dry.

I have about 50 trees that go ok nothing special  

Since my land is sloped lightly I dug a trench 20m long 23 inch deep and about 18 inch wide up top

I filled it with lantana, box thorn and red gum hardwood branches.

Threw in excess eggs and food scraps with cow manure fresh.

Filled it mostly flat with a small speed hump look

The thinking was great soil life and food up top over time that will flow down and share the love with more land.

Some one told me though it was a bad idea as clay soil won't let in oxygen to break down the wood?

Was it too much effort for little gain?


Also I have 2 jack fruits that are 2 years old and barely any growth.

I have composted and water well enough.

So I dug a similar spec trench around the tree in a square shape about 2m out from trunk and did the same.

The thinking was that the roots would grow out to this trench full of food making the tree established and healthy.

I am curious if this will work.

I have a few more bare rooted cherries coming in the next few weeks and I was planning on digging about 80cm deep filling 30cm with wood and green manure and then placing clay in and planting it slightly raised about 20cm high.

I don't want to be caught out with a well drowning the tree in 2 years though.

Thanks.