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RE: Last year's leaves

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

First I will answer the question that you asked, then I will recommend
something else.

	Not chopping them up might be better than chopping them up, unless you are
willing to wait for the bloom of bacteria to subside after turning in the
chopped leaves. Whole leaves have the advantage of decomposing slowly. This
means that there would be less extreme leaching of nitrogen from the soil
around the roots of any plants. I would still wait a week or so to let any
aerobic bacteria cycle. The composted manure will have little effect either
way, that would be a good strategy for a compost pile, but not for soil
decomposition. Not that the composted manure won't be good for the soil,
just that it probably won't help decompose the leaves (maybe a little, but
not much) when mixed into the soil like that.

	Unless your soil is particularly poor draining or you have clay or other
soil problems, there is probably a better, easier way to use your materials.

	I didn't follow the advice I am about to give you when I prepared this
year's garden, for reasons that may affect you. I had packed soil, full of
camphor tree roots, on which I had several raised beds. The untreated wood
that I had used for walls had rotted to the point of falling over so I took
them off. Now I had islands of good soil surrounded by a sea of horrible
soil. I scattered the beds as best as I could, then roto-tilled the whole
thing with some lime and some hot compost. Part of my intention was to
homogenize my area as much as possible so that soil testing and such would
be meaningful. Then I made my squares (five 4'x8' and one 2'x8') waited a
week and planted. Now I am trying to get back to the place you are just
about at. Just last night I got a truckload of leaves and mulch which I just
now came in from spreading around like I am about to suggest you do...

	You say that the leaves are on the garden beds now. I am assuming that you
don't want to move them twice so I would rake them evenly over the whole
garden then broadcast the CM. Before you plant. Normally I would say spread
the CM first, but then it wouldn't get under the -piles- of leaves, you
would have to move them. Scattering it on top will be just as good since it
will work down during the first rain...
	Then as you plant, move the leaves away from the square that you are
planting in. Plant your seeds then move the leaves back around each hole. I
use a little cup to cover the seed hole then lift it when I am done. For
most things this is adequate. For lettuce and carrots I just leave the whole
square uncovered until the plants are higher.

	I believe that you will be happier with the effect of the leaves used this
way. Covering the soil helps retain moisture, prevents weeds, encourages
worms and microscopic soil life, and moderates extremes of soil
temperatures. Leaves break down slowly and, after several applications, will
condition the soil to the point that little tilling or amendments will be
required.

	But, this is the "No-Till" philosophy of gardening, and is a little off
topic for this list...


`    0****************  Bill and Aula DeWitt  *****************0
     *    Faith claims God's promises and brings               *
     *    forth fruit in abundance.                            *
     0**** http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/8868/  ****0


> -----Original Message-----
> From: MomLittr@aol.com [M*@aol.com]
> Sent: Sunday, March 21, 1999 10:03 AM
> To: sqft@listbot.com
> Subject: Last year's leaves
>
>
> Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
> I have piles of last year's leaves on my garden beds that I need
> to turn into
> the soil before I can plant.  Problem is I have no way of
> chopping them up;
> will this be a problem when I turn them into the soil?  I plan on
> amending the
> soil with composted manure when I turn the leaves in  - I am
> hoping this will
> help speed up decomposition of the  leaves.  Any suggestions
> and/or thoughts
> on this.
>
> Very anxious for spring.
>
> Debbie L.
> Barnegat, NJ
>
>
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