Re: Leaves as surface compost?

I can attest to Dave's advise.

At my last place, I always added about 6-10" of dry leaves gathered from
the neighborhood to the top of my patch in the fall.  I would then sprinkle
some nitrogen-rich fertilizer on top and till them in.  In spring, they
were partially composted and I would till them in again as soon as it was
dry enough.  They would soon break down and become incorporated into the
soil adding organic matter and tilth.  My soil was not heavy in clay though
but was probably only average for drainage.  So maybe the poor drainage is
the key like Dave suggests.

PS.  Due to lack of space in my last residence, I had to take a break from
growing AGs for a few years.  I have now moved, have a "virgin" yard and
will be starting a new patch from scratch this year.  I'm looking forward
to getting back into it again.

Kurt Frederick
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
At 09:20 PM 4/2/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>Problem with the moisture content in soil is not really the compost, it is
>the fact that the soil is 'clay' .... clay holds moisture.
>
>If you have normal draining soil, the leaves put on in the fall and then
>tilled in further in the Spring should be no problem at all.  The leaves
>will further decay (once tilled) during the growing season and should not
>cause any problems.
>
>If you have heavy wet clay soil, the best thing to do is to figure out how
>to make the soil drain better.  Either by removing the clay and putting in a
>good humus type soil or to amend the soil with alot of sand for drainage and
>add good composted topsoil.
>
>I should consider myself lucky, I live on gravel.  My soil drains too fast.
>I have about 10 inches of topsoil, but over the years my garden is about 1
>1/2 feet of loom, still somewhat 'boney' but no drainage problems.
>
>Dave
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Eric and Doria Toedtli" <ejtoedtli@attbi.com>
>To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
>Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 8:51 PM
>Subject: Re: Leaves as surface compost?
>
>
>> I covered my garden with several inches of un-composted leaves in the fall
>a
>> few years ago.  In the spring they had not broken down much.  This was a
>> problem because they held the moisture in and did not allow the soil to
>warm
>> up.  This was clay soil that did not drain very well (at my former house).
>> I usually till in late April or early May.  That year I finally tilled the
>> second week of June.  It was still a big mess.  I will never cover my soil
>> with un-composted leaves, compost, or anything in the fall again.  I will
>> put them in piles outside the side the garden and spread them the day
>before
>> tilling.  I now like to leave the surface of the soil as uncovered as
>> possible during the winter.  However, I may try a cover crop on part of
>the
>> garden this next winter.
>>
>> Eric Toedtli
>> Vancouver, Wa.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <Davecbauer@aol.com>
>> To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 7:07 AM
>> Subject: Leaves as surface compost?
>>
>>
>> Hello List,
>>
>> I covered my garden, one 12 x 12 raised bed, one 4 x 12 raised bed, with a
>> couple feet of maple leaves in the fall. How do I prepare the beds in the
>> spring? They have settled down to about 12 inches high, but there is still
>> quite a pile of leaves.
>>
>> Do I ;
>>
>> 1. Take off all but the blackened bottom layer and till that in?
>> 2. Do I try to till in most of the leaves?
>>
>> What is my next move?
>>
>> Thanks for your responses!
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Dave
>> 330, 305 & 280 in '02 on three plants in the 12 x 12 bed.
>>
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