How do fan palm fronds do as weed mats?

[Justin]

I'm putting down some mulch tomorrow, and I am contemplating using some spent Bismarckia fronds as a base, to keep weeds from sprouting. I know it takes forever for these guys to break down, but since I won't be planting anything in the area I don't think its that big a deal. What I am more concerned about, however, is putting down anything that will interfere with the soil or the mulch.

So what have your experiences been, and what do you suggest?

[MattyB]

Go buy the .92 cent bags of steer manure/compost at Home Depot and put that down first, then the Bizmarckia fronds, then mulch over the top. This way you already have your compost/mulch layers established and you'll only need to mulch in the future to keep the cycle going. By the time the compost is used up the bizmarckia leaves will be breaking down and the mulch will be settling down in and rotting to take the place of the compost.

[southlatropical]

I used them last year after pruning my T. fortunei. I mulched over them and the fans themselves composted faster than I expected. The stems however, would not break down and I removed them. My advice would be cut the stems off close to the fans.

[Justin]

Thanks a bunch.

[malcthomas]

Justin.....

I am always trimming my Washintonias and cut the leaves off green before they brown, droop and form a skirt. The petioles are much easier to saw through green than dead (I know some are going to frown on this practise). I then use loppers to remore the petiole from the leaf and spread the leaves out as mulch. When the leaves are green they lie flat and I place them 3 or 4 layers deep. L.chinensis leaves are also good for this.

I cut the green petioles into shorter lengths with the loppers and when dry, use them to fire the barbeque. The green leaves brown up in a couple of weeks and break down after a season.

cheers....Malcolm