RE: Making a new bed.....

Hi Robin:

I have done this for years now.  If I'm willing to wait 6 months I layer:

yard debris (nothing too woody) about 6 inches, cardboard, another 6 inches
of yard debris and top with compost to speed up composting.  I do this in
the fall, so watering is not a problem here in Oregon.  This was a main path
me for and it got a little slick in the rain here that spring, so I topped
with a little roughly finished compost and that helped until things dried
out.

If you were using finished compost, I'm not sure how deep I'd layer that --
keep in mind the 6" of yard debris probably composted down to 2-3" at most.
So with finished compost I'd probably put down 2-3 inches, cardboard, 2-3"
again.

Under a tree one fall, I just dumped a lot of my fall cleanup and spread
compost on it early spring (like Feb. here in Oregon) and was able to plant
that spring.  No cardboard.  But like under most trees, the grass was not
thriving anyway.

The "bed" over this tree is only about 6" probably deeper than it was
originally and of course the tree is fine between all the goodies and extra
summer water it steals from the water I'm trying to give the plants under
there!

In another bed, I did yard debris, cardboard, yard debris and did NOT top
with compost and it's still not composted about 6 months later.  Lesson
learned.  Just never got to it...

I have read that you can just pile up a huge amount of compost and plant in
that, but it sounds too rich to me for most plants.  If you could get some
soil in there, I think it would work.

Susan Saxton, zone 6b
For mine is a little old fashioned garden where the flowers come
together to praise the Lord and teach all who look upon them to do
likewise.
Celia Thaxter

I AM in shape.  ROUND is a shape!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robin Teets [r*@mail.ptd.net]
> Sent: Friday, April 30, 1999 10:09 AM
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: Making a new bed.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi everyone!!
> 
> I just love this list!!!  I learn so much!!  I know a 
> couple of weeks ago someone was telling how to make
> a new bed by layering compost and cardboard and letting
> it sit for a year.  I would like to try this method
> but I have two questions.  How much compost do you use??
> And can this method be used under trees without 
> smothering their root system???
> 
> Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and time....
> Robin
> 
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