Re: Use of composed leaves
- Subject: Re: Use of composed leaves
- From: "Marge Talt" m*@hort.net
- Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 18:21:18 -0400
I agree with Bill, Don. I'd mix some soil in with it. Actually,
doesn't have to be good soil as those composted leaves will provide
any organic matter lacking in subsoil and a mix of them and subsoil
will create some really nice topsoil.
Adding soil will also help keep this very light mix from drying
out....one of the main problems (at least in my garden) with using
extremely light mixes that are mostly organic material...they dry out
really fast in summer.
I really don't think you need to add sand; unless you have some
massive drainage issues (which adding sand wouldn't solve anyway),
that organic mix ought to drain like a bandit.
I'd also overfill the area at the very least by 6" because it will
sink at least that much, esp. if the organic content is high.
You might consider using only soil right up against the foundation
and out about a foot or so to throw any water back out into the bed -
grading it higher at the foundation and down into the bed and tamping
it in pretty well so it doesn't sink too much. That really light
organic stuff might just drain water straight down your foundation
wall. Nothing is going to grow really well smack up against the
foundation anyway, likely under the eave of your house and bone dry.
The only other note is that you might need to add some high nitrogen
fertilizer. I find that my leaf mould is low in nitrogen and if I
don't add fert. plants tend to be a tad yellow.
What you plant in this will leap for joy.
PS....this is the second post I've seen recently on lists indicating
that oak leaves don't make good leaf mould...my leaf mould is mostly
oak leaves and my plants seem to love it. Seems to be one of those
garden myths going around - oak leaves make soil too acid. They do
not; all leaves turn pretty neutral when rotted. Oak trees prefer
acid soil, but their leaves don't make it so:-)
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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> From: Don Martinson <llmen@wi.rr.com>
>
> My local municipality makes available large quantities of composed
> leaves for city residents. To my knowledge, they are not amended
in
> any special way. I would expect the leaves to have been mainly
mixed
> hardwoods - lots of maple, some ash and linden - the predominant
> street trees in this area. I wouldn't expect to find much, if any,
> oak or black walnut.
>
> In the past, I've used this primarily as a top dressing, but due to
> some construction, I have a much larger area next to a foundation
to
> fill in - an arc 12 feet in span, 3 feet wide and at least 1 foot
> deep. This is an area that I will be using for general planting.
I
> don't think I should be using this compost alone for fill, but
should
> at least add, perhaps, some sharp sand to improve drainage. Peat
> moss perhaps?
>
> Suggestions appreciated,
>
> --
> Don Martinson
> Milwaukee, Wisconsin
> l*@wi.rr.com
>
>
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