Re: fall clean up

In a message dated 10/27/2001 10:46:53 AM Central Standard Time, mygarden@easystreet.com writes:


By the way, people around here seem to think that oak leaves are way too
acidic to make good compost
As a general rule hardwood trees produce more neutral mulches than do softwood or evergreens-this has to due with the type on minerals the different types of tree take up from the ground. Hardwoods take up more alkaline earths and metals-so that when they decay they neutralize acid formation.


There seems to be a general belief that trees cause soils to become acid-while this is not generally true the opposite effect is -- some trees can prevent the top of soils from becoming  acid. do to the return of the above said alkaline earths and metals that the tree collects from deep in the ground and returns to the surface.

Oaks may have a good amount of tannins that are acid but this is off set by the skeletally material of the leaves when they decay.


Acid soil production is to a very high degree dependent of water saturation of the soils and leaching of soils as water passes through the soil column.



Paul

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