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Enquiries: +44 (0)1666 502711 |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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General
Mulches
Common Areas for Concern |
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Q1. Do we have enough bark in the UK to cope with expected demand?A. Yes. Bark for UK landscape products comes mainly from British conifer trees. From the new forest planting over the past 50 years, it is possible to accurately forecast the potential volume availability of bark. It is expected that the volume of UK bark will at least double in the next 10 years. Additional quantities of Pine Bark are being imported from Europe, to meet current market demand for that species. |
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Q2. If I am unsure which product I need, how can Melcourt help me?A. There are a number of options available. Telephone Melcourt and discuss your particular problem. The technical staff are able to identify precisely which Melcourt product would your site, budget or client requirements. Clear Technical literature is also available, together with typical product samples and quotations. Alternately, we would be pleased to visit your office or site, to discuss your requirements in detail. |
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Q3.I've heard of 'Bark Passports'. Do they exist and what are they?A. Bark Passports were introduced in 1993 as part of the statutory control measures to help prevent the spread of the Spruce Bark Beetle (Dendroctonus micans) from the existing infested area into the uninfected area. All raw bark being transported from the affected area either to a producing plant, or to an end user, has to be identified with a Bark Passport. This is so that a tracability system is in place to check that the Act is adhered to and any new infection can be traced back to the source. The Spruce Bark Beetle doesn't affect Pine Bark, which is exempt under this legislation. |
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Q4. What is the latest situation regarding Methyl Bromide treatment of imported bark?A. Methyl Bromide will be a 'totally banned substance' under the Montreal Convention by 1st Jan 2005, Therefore bark treated with this substance will be banned from that date |
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Q5. My landscape schemes are quite small, often for domestic gardens, with the subsequent quantity of material being less than a full lorry load. Can you help?A. Melcourt have recognised the need for users who require relatively small quantities of less than 20m³. We have set up a national network of 'Approved Stockists' to service this particular requirement. Stockists have the most popular grades of mulch ex stock, together with other Melcourt products. Next time you have a requirement, please contact our Tetbury Office on +44 (0)1666 502711 and we will be pleased to give you contact details of your nearest approved stockist. |
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Q6. Recently my contractor had a load of mulch delivered and off-loaded on site that was not to my specification. What should I do about it?A. The load should have been visually inspected before it was off-loaded, and if not to specification, rejected. Now that the load has been tipped, do not allow the contractor to spread the material. Get the contractor to contact the supplier and either arrange for it to be removed or negotiate a price reduction, which will be passed on in full, to the client. It might be worthwhile to get the supplier to inspect the load, on site. |
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Q7. I believe that Melcourt products are expensive. Is this true?A. No. You are not comparing like for like products. When comparing product specification, independent testing, volume measurement, technical back-up and customer support, we guarantee that the Melcourt product is the best buy. |
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Q8. Do mulches, soil ameliorants and composts from other suppliers perform the same as the equivalent Melcourt product?A. No, not necessarily. For instance, it is most unlikely that any other supplier would be able to produce products to the same specification. No other suppliers have had their mulches independently fire tested in accordance with British Standard 4790:1987. Melcourt are fully aware of other suppliers products; it is often the fine specification detail that makes the difference. If you contact our Tetbury office, we would be able to point out the differences in specific cases. |
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Q9. I always specify Melcourt products, but find that the contractor often submits samples for approval from other suppliers. Why is this ?A. More than likely, the contractor is offering the samples from other suppliers beacuse it gives him a cost saving. We suggest that you :
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Q10. Does mulch take nitrogen from the soil and cause 'nitrogen lock up'?A. A properly matured bark or wood based mulch, laid onto the soil surface, after planting, will have no marked effect on nitrogen uptake.Over time, bacterial activity will slowly enable the mulch to naturally break-down and eventually be incorporated into the soil.However, uncomposted wood chips from arboricultural operations applied directly onto the soil could cause a problem. Nitrogen will be taken from the soil to break-down this raw, uncomposted material. |
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Q11. As mulches break down and decompose, how do they affect the soil?A. Over a period of time, depending on the type of mulch, particle size and local microbial activity, the mulch will naturally break down and be naturally incorporated into the top soil. This will have the beneficial effect of increasing the soil organic content.The pH will not be noticeably affected. |
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Q12. Do you recommend a membrane to be used between the soil surface and the mulch?A. No. The use of a membrane is an unnecessary additional cost and will prevent the mulch from working properly. The membrane will impede natural moisture and air flow between the soil and mulch. The mulch will not be able to naturally break-down and incorporate into the soil, to increase the soils organic content if a membrane is present. On sloping ground, the membrane will cause the mulch to slip and migrate towards the bottom of the slope |
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Q13. Will the use of bark as a mulch or soil conditioner increase the risk of infection from honey fungus ?A. There is no evidence that the use of bark as either a mulch or a soil conditioner in any way encourages or introduces honey fungus infection. Honey fungus is not commonly found in managed forests from which we source our raw materials, but research has shown that even if the fungus is present, the manufacturing process, which involves chopping and heating, is very effective at killing out the disease. The risk of honey fungus is another reason why it is important to purchase mulches and soil improvers from a reputable supplier. Uncomposted wood chip from thinning or clearance operations will often include diseased material, and as such it represents a risk to any borders onto which it is subsequently spread. |
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Q14. Can mulch increase the potential fire risk?A. Yes. In areas where there is a potential fire hazard. i.e. car parks, vehicle fuel filling stations and areas adjacent to walkways, we strongly recommend that a mulch that has been fire tested in accordance with British Standard 4790:1987 is used. Mulch with a high wood, dust and fines content could be a particular hazard. |
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Q15. Is there going to be a British or European Standard for mulch?A. No, not specifically. However, in November 1997, The Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions produced specifications for Soil Improvers, Mulches and Composts, originated from composted plant residues. - Please refer to the section British and European Standards, Independent Specifications and Certifiers of Landscape Materials . |
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Q16. We are frequently being offered mulch and wood chip by local tree surgeons and contractors. Would we be safe to use these materials?A. Be extremely careful. The material might originate from diseased trees. This disease could then be spread via the wood chips onto the planted beds.It is unlikely that the chips would have been matured for a sufficiently long enough period, (we would recommend over 1 year), and therefore could cause nitrogen lock-up when breaking down on the planted beds.The material will probably be of an extremely low specification with no independent testing. e.g. fire testing. |
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Q17. Recently, some of my landscape designs were 'over-budget', so as a cost saving we did away with the mulch. I couldn't really justify the product. What would you say?A. Mulch has been successfully used in the UK for at least 15 years and been shown to work. In order to quantify the benefits, we carried out research and development to categorically demonstrate this worth - please refer to the section entitled, The Real Benefits to You in Specifying Melcourt Products |
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Q18. If I decide to use the mulch at a lesser spreading depth than that recommended, what might happen?A. Exactly what happens depends on what specification is used and to what lesser depth the mulch is laid. Basically the mulch is unlikely to perform properly. Our research on a wide range of sites has shown what are the minimum effective depths. In the short term you will experience ineffective weed suppression and 'bare areas'. Also during hot weather, moisture evaporation from the soil will occur, leading to plant drought stress. |
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Q19. I do not allow contractors to lay mulch, until one year after the initial planting. Is this good practice ?A. No. We recommend that the mulch is layed, once planting has been completed. This will prevent any air-borne weed seeds from geminating in the uncovered soil. Furthermore, moisture will be retained in the soil thus preventing 'drought-stress' to the plants, during dry weather. The visual appearance of the site will also be enhanced. |
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Q20. I know that the price of mulch varies. Mulch also can be effective at different spreading depths and they have different settlement and projected life spans. How might these issues affect my mulch choice?A. All Melcourt products are divided into three quality categories, i.e. deluxe, contract and economy. These quality categories, together with the results from the Simple Steps to Correct Product Selection, should enable you to decide which product you should use. If you need any help please call us on +44 (0)1666 502711. |
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Q21. Will bulbs planted in beds and borders, be able to grow through a mulched layer ?A. Yes, very easily. |
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Q22. Are Wood Shards a Problem in bark based Products?A. From time to time some customers complain about the oversize wood particles (wood shards) in our products. We grade our products into ‘nominal particle size ranges’, using flat or rotating screens. As the material passes over the screen mesh, a proportion will fall through ‘end on’ and will consequently be longer than the particle size stated. This problem is particularly apparent with products whose particle sizes are over 50 millimetres. If this ‘oversize material’ is a problem, it should be physically removed from the surface, after the product has been installed on site. |
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Q23. Should I be Concerned if Fungus Growth Appears?A. The materials used to manufacture Melcourt mulches and soil improvers are natural, organic and unadulterated with any chemicals. Under some circumstances, typically in the damp, warm months of autumn, they can support the growth of toadstools and other fungi. We have never had any reported instances of fungi known to be harmful to either human, plant or animal, and in over two decades have never received a single notification of any harm caused by the products from such causes Under normal circumstances any fungal growth generally disappears when the weather changes, but if considered necessary, it can be physically removed from the site. |
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