Re: Use of composted leaves

In a message dated 9/26/02 3:16:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time, llmen@wi.rr.com 
writes:


> 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?
> 
> Would you use the muncipal compost on ornamentals - only?  If it comes from 
> suburban areas and there are bagged clippings (country gardeners do not bag 
> clippings or collect them nor do they rake leaves much) would you trust 
> this compost?  Leave blow away somewhere here, there are none left in the 
> spring except some oaks which go directly in shrubs and gardens 
> deliberately making spring work without fail.  
> 
> If it is ornamentals I think you have a great treasure at your disposal.  
> If you loosen up the subsoil and mix it in, huge amount of work probably, 
> you would have the equivalent of double digging a process which lasts for 
> years though many older books call for a yearly reworking, certainly not 
> necessary,  of perennial beds.  We have vegetable frames that consist 
> totally of compost and whatever soil if dug up from somewhere else, some 
> other project usually sods, not much, and thrown in.  The soil under the 
> frames is full of rocks, removed only if they came out cooperatively.  
> Everything grows best there.
> 
> I think sand added to clay is the no-no, you get what is close to concrete 
> for your trouble but if a large amount of leaf compost is added, some sand 
> would not be a bad idea. Only you know what you have under this bed for 
> your area.  
> 
> In the north a humus enriched bed lasts in good condition longer than the 
> south, the growing season being much shorter.  Don, we can grow most 
> perennials without being able to get a shovel in the ground more than 8 or 
> ten inches without hitting rock.  We poke around and find somethere between 
> them, scratch out what soil can be found and backfill with compost or 
> manure or whatever we have around. Having a bed prepared and ready to 
> plant, that is your ability to make a plan is some wonderful advantage to 
> my way of thinking. If you can get the subsoil up and around the edges for 
> adding with the compost, then use the compost to a height above the ground 
> line to allow for settling and mix in 5-10-5 in the spring as soon as the 
> snow melts you should have wonderful spot.  If you plant right up to the 
> foundation, a few drain tiles away from the house would be a good idea.
> 
> Being in a rural area, we have removed all shrubbery that was foundation 
> planted and placed new shrubbery away from the house where most of it grows 
> unpruned.  But- that area up close to the house which can become dry, Marge 
> being observant here, can handle some of the plants that hate getting wet 
> if you are inclined to try some of the alpines.   In this case you would 
> use some sand, even mulch with sand for plants as Veronica incana, some 
> Salvias, Agastaches, etc. 
> 
> Veronica incana, a teriffic long blooming hardy Veronica, did poorly here 
> until mulched with pebbles, good soil for these plants is necessary but 
> they cannot touch wet soils through the summer. They bloom for six weeks 
> and are very hardy and long lived.
> 
> Breaking up subsoil is hard work.  See if you can find a young man who 
> needs some weekend money. Not that that will be easy but it is a good 
> thought if you can manage it.  You could post a sign in the local super 
> market, I don't know of any machine that could do this work.  If you have a 
> backhoe doing other work on your construction, try to get them to scarf 
> (Ed's word) out the area and loosen the soil.  It is so easy with a big 
> strong machine.  Everytime a backhoe has been in our garden for some 
> "important" job, I have managed to get an hour or two for removing rocks 
> and clearing something so easy for them and all summer for you.


Claire Peplowski
NYS z4 

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