RE: Leaves in April = possibly acidic
All organic matter releases humic acid when decomposing. The impact on your
soil's pH depends on a lot of variables, including the quantity of stuff you
used, the starting pH of your soil, your soil's sensitivity to acidic
matter, etc. You should test your pH to be safe, and keep it around 7.0
(neutral) for pumpkins. If you are in the western U.S., soils are generally
more alkaline and can probably take on more acidic matter without altering
pH materially, whereas in the southeastern U.S. soils are already very
acidic to begin with.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pumpkins@mallorn.com [o*@mallorn.com]On
Behalf Of Reinsborough
Sent: Sunday, April 02, 2000 7:40 PM
To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
Subject: Re: Leaves in April
I see no problem with adding leaves to your soil at this time of year. By
the
time your vines spread to fill the patch, the breakdown will have been
completed.
I layer my garden in the fall mainly to protect from deep frost and erosion.
When
april comes around, there is still a thick layer of leaves and straw that
have
not broken down, but by the time the vines spread out , everything has been
transformed into beautiful soil. I've never had a problem with low nitrogen
as my
leaves are always deep green except during a week of cool, cloudy
weather.........Ken Reinsborough
LIpumpkin@aol.com wrote:
> Hi All....I have just tilled my 19x37 backyard plot and added a bunch of
> wheelbarrows of semi-decomposed maple and oak leaves.these were tilled in
> with the winter rye I planted in the fall and 3 garbage cans of somewhat
aged
> horse poopies.(garbage cans is the urban measuring system).My question is
> this: I have about 20 hefty bags(another urban unit of measure) of non
> chopped up non composted oak and maple leaves that i can adde to my patch.
If
> I add this uncomposted material now,will I be tieing up all my nitrogen
and
> hurting the feeding of my pumpkin this summer? Help!!!!
>
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