Welcome to this post about whether eucalyptus is bad for the soil that it is growing in. It’s very true that it does have an impact, this is something that almost all plants do have. But how much does it really affect? The thing that eucalyptus does to the soil reduces its fertility of it. That makes it harder to grow new things or just other things in the same soil surrounding it.
How large that impact can depend on the age of the tree. Older trees will have a larger root system able to affect larger areas. Another thing it does is degrade the soil and then release carbon. Something that can have a severe impact on the environment around it.
If you want to learn even more about growing eucalyptus and the impact that it has shown to have then we have written the perfect article for you. It covers a lot of the most common questions. Find it here, Why You Should Not Plant Eucalyptus.
Is Eucalyptus Bad For Soil
Just like we said at the beginning of this article, the biggest impact that eucalyptus has on the soil is to decrease its fertility of it. It makes it more difficult to get new things growing there and generally just makes it an uninhabitable place. But this can of course be countered by cutting down and reducing the amount of eucalyptus growing in one spot.
If you are worried about having a eucalyptus tree at home growing and having an impact on the surrounding plants and trees then you should’nt be too worried. The biggest noticeable impact is done when it’s growing in larger amounts. A single tree will not destroy your garden at home. Pruning it regularly will further reduce that risk however because it keeps it in check.
We mentioned that it also degrades the soil and makes it release carbon. But on top of this, it reduces the pH of the soil. It lowers it to a point where other plants can grow in it. It makes it only habitable for eucalyptus. This might be the biggest reason for not growing eucalyptus at home. Instead, you might want to consider growing it in a pot instead to completely limit its advancements.
An interesting fact we want to include in this post is the increase of acidity in the soil. This will make it more habitable for fungi to grow. The effect a large mycelium will have on the land is that it’s water repellent. It makes it difficult to get new things growing there as the water storage is very poor. It can be fixed, but with most things growing it will take a long time to do right.
Can Eucalyptus Leaves Bad For Garden?
Unfortunately, the impact that the leaves can have on the rest of the garden is severe when left to be. If they are left to shed on their own and decompose in spots where bushes or flowers are growing then it can have a big impact. As it decomposes it lowers the pH and releases toxic chemicals that can be bad for the soil.
Therefore the leaves must be decomposed correctly so as to not have an impact on the soil. The best way to do this is to create a separate one for composting eucalyptus leaves and keep it away from other neighboring crops.
Let’s reiterate again what we have been talking about in this article right here. The impact that eucalyptus can have on the soil can be severe. It makes the pH of the soil lower and therefore makes it unfavorable for other plants to grow there. This is the best argument against growing eucalyptus. Although, having one at home won’t have a severe effect if kept in check.
If you want to read about why people really don’t like eucalyptus then we have written the perfect article for you. It covers some of the arguments against cultivating this tree. You can find it here, Why Do People Hate Eucalyptus Trees.
