Cedar tree litter

[Stvrob]

I have a large cedar tree (juniper) on my property with several inches of fine black litter under its canopy. At first glance, it appears to have wonderful texture and I'm thinking of incorporating it into my container mix (along with sifted leaf mold, peat moss, perlite, and sifted limestone cuttings from well drilling).
My question about the cedar needle litter-there doesn't seem to be that much worm life beneath it, and almost no weeds. Are there any known toxins associated with cedar needle litter?

Oh, and what about Hickory leaves? I know they are closely related to black walnut, is the Jugalone toxin associated with hickory? Unlike the cedar, there are lots of worms and chitonous critters beneath the hickory trees.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

I have a large cedar tree (juniper) on my property with several inches of fine black litter under its canopy. At first glance, it appears to have wonderful texture and I'm thinking of incorporating it into my container mix (along with sifted leaf mold, peat moss, perlite, and sifted limestone cuttings from well drilling).
My question about the cedar needle litter-there doesn't seem to be that much worm life beneath it, and almost no weeds. Are there any known toxins associated with cedar needle litter?

Oh, and what about Hickory leaves? I know they are closely related to black walnut, is the Jugalone toxin associated with hickory? Unlike the cedar, there are lots of worms and chitonous critters beneath the hickory trees.

Hickory does contain Jugalone, but at MUCH lower concentrations. The litter under junipers is usable, in moderation, especially the deeper layers. However, I don't know about in a container for either one. Many things that work in the soil don't work in containers.