Last Fall's Leaves: Ready For Showtime?

hunter · April 8, 2008

I was out inspecting my compost piles last weekend, and I noticed that my leaf piles from last autumn were not very decomposed.

Is there any harm in adding a lot of these leaves to my beds? I am planning on doing a superficial tilling just to mix the leaves in with the soil.

If it's not a good idea for whatever reason, I can always just let the piles cook a while longer or even use them for mulch.

Worth1 · April 8, 2008

You may find that to get them to (Cook) you will need to keep them moist and ad nitrogen.

Woody material needs and eats nitrogen to compost.

If they aren't walnut leaves then they should be good as mulch or mix in the soil I do it all of the time.

Worth

dice · April 9, 2008

I had one end of a raised bed that was 75% oak leaves
that had just set in bags over the winter last year. (The
other 25% was horse manure, compost, and an inch or
two of clay subsoil). I just threw in a little extra flax seed
meal and alfalfa meal on that end when I fertilized, to
help them decay faster.

The plants there had no problem with the leaves.

organichris · April 21, 2008

This year I'm trying the Rotheraine biodynamic method of tomato growing. Well, I modified it. I didn't check to see if the stars were aligned and all that.

But essentially the method involves using fresh garbage to make a mound. I used some fresh garbage and some partially decomposed compost, including some leaves. I don't know how it will turn out, but if his results are any indicator I should have one mammoth tomato plant. (With this method, all you need is one plant supposedly). Check it out at rotheraine.com

dice · April 21, 2008

The year that I planted this row of raspberry transplants
that my neighbor gave me, what turned out to be the biggest
plant was growing above a box of rotten apples that I had
buried there when I prepared the bed for planting.

organichris · April 22, 2008

Yeah, after I had already dug my hole I found some old apples that I should have put in there but it was too late. I did, however, put some old hamburger meat at the bottom.

April 8, 2008	#1
hunter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 213	Last Fall's Leaves: Ready For Showtime? I was out inspecting my compost piles last weekend, and I noticed that my leaf piles from last autumn were not very decomposed. Is there any harm in adding a lot of these leaves to my beds? I am planning on doing a superficial tilling just to mix the leaves in with the soil. If it's not a good idea for whatever reason, I can always just let the piles cook a while longer or even use them for mulch.

April 9, 2008	#3
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I had one end of a raised bed that was 75% oak leaves that had just set in bags over the winter last year. (The other 25% was horse manure, compost, and an inch or two of clay subsoil). I just threw in a little extra flax seed meal and alfalfa meal on that end when I fertilized, to help them decay faster. The plants there had no problem with the leaves. __________________ -- alias

April 21, 2008	#5
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	The year that I planted this row of raspberry transplants that my neighbor gave me, what turned out to be the biggest plant was growing above a box of rotten apples that I had buried there when I prepared the bed for planting. __________________ -- alias Last edited by dice; April 22, 2008 at 06:47 PM. Reason: clarity

April 8, 2008	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	You may find that to get them to (Cook) you will need to keep them moist and ad nitrogen. Woody material needs and eats nitrogen to compost. If they aren't walnut leaves then they should be good as mulch or mix in the soil I do it all of the time. Worth

April 21, 2008	#4
organichris Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 630	This year I'm trying the Rotheraine biodynamic method of tomato growing. Well, I modified it. I didn't check to see if the stars were aligned and all that. But essentially the method involves using fresh garbage to make a mound. I used some fresh garbage and some partially decomposed compost, including some leaves. I don't know how it will turn out, but if his results are any indicator I should have one mammoth tomato plant. (With this method, all you need is one plant supposedly). Check it out at rotheraine.com

April 22, 2008	#6
organichris Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 630	Yeah, after I had already dug my hole I found some old apples that I should have put in there but it was too late. I did, however, put some old hamburger meat at the bottom.