leaf mold

piegirl · April 7, 2008

I have some of the most beautiful leaf mold and am thinking about filling my planting holes with it. About 18 months-2yrs old, 80% oak, 20% ash, misc. This stuff looks like the finest potting soil I have ever seen. About yard carts worth. Would there be any problems using this? Thanks in advance - piegirl

PaulF · April 8, 2008

It might do your soil better to work it in the entire growing area rather than just in the hole. No matter what, I think it may be a good idea to mix up the composted leaves with some of your soil. Dirt and compost mixed is a really good thing. I have heard oak and ash leaves are among the best.

Deer Park · April 15, 2008

I've been growing tomatoes in leaf mold for 20 years now. I believe it is the best media to grow in. I am successful year after year while others are not. My soil is healthy and stays moist and cool under the hot Texas sun.

I haven't tilled my garden in the last ten years. I pile on the leaves and grass clippings year after year. I try to keep it at least 6-8 inches deep year to year. Millions of worms occupy the zone between leaf mold and soil just doing their thing.

TomatoDon · April 16, 2008

How long does it take leaves to break down into humus? Our little town takes bagged leaves the neighbors put on the curb to the city dump and I always thought of asking them to dump them at the farm. Have always wanted to start a big pile of leaves so I could have unlimited free organic matter every year, but just curious how long it takes to convert into really good compost.

Don

Tomstrees · April 16, 2008

I mow all of my leaves and then use the mower to chop em up - then bury them or leave right on top of the soil - has turned my soil from "average" to "super" in just a few seasons.

~ Tom (who will note his soil is normally sandy/clay like)

dice · April 16, 2008

Quote:

...just curious how long it takes to convert into really good
compost.

Depends on temperature and moisture. It is pretty slow up
here: from fall to the next spring they are only about halfway
composted. They stay plenty moist, but the temperatures are
cool. Shredding them helps break them down faster, as does
mixing something higher in nitrogen with them (grass, nettles,
manure, etc). They would probably compost faster in your
warmer temperatures down south.

Depends on what kind of leaf it is, too. Laurel leaves, for
example, compost slowly. Birch, maple, willow, alder,
and aspen compost fast. Oak leaves are somewhere in between.

They are popular with redworms, just like a manure pile
or a pile of moist grass clippings. I dug through them
regularly last winter to stock my worm bin (a fair amount
of juvenile nightcrawlers were mixed in with the red
wigglers in the leaf pile, maybe 30%).

I came across some research on using municipal leaves
as a soil amendment (nutrient levels, pH, etc):

http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/supp...pal_Leaves.htm

creister · April 16, 2008

I remeber my grandfather used to rake all of the leaves on his property into his garden during the fall. After the winter snow (in Michigan) melted, he would turn in what was left and he always had great soil, gardens and a lot of worms.

I also just pile up leaves and other organic matter on the garden and let it decompose. More worms every year. In fact, when we get real heavy rains, I see worms in the runoff in the street in front of the house. I haven't tilled in about 4 years.

April 7, 2008	#1
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	leaf mold I have some of the most beautiful leaf mold and am thinking about filling my planting holes with it. About 18 months-2yrs old, 80% oak, 20% ash, misc. This stuff looks like the finest potting soil I have ever seen. About yard carts worth. Would there be any problems using this? Thanks in advance - piegirl

April 8, 2008	#2
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	It might do your soil better to work it in the entire growing area rather than just in the hole. No matter what, I think it may be a good idea to mix up the composted leaves with some of your soil. Dirt and compost mixed is a really good thing. I have heard oak and ash leaves are among the best. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 16, 2008	#4
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	How long does it take leaves to break down into humus? Our little town takes bagged leaves the neighbors put on the curb to the city dump and I always thought of asking them to dump them at the farm. Have always wanted to start a big pile of leaves so I could have unlimited free organic matter every year, but just curious how long it takes to convert into really good compost. Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

April 16, 2008	#5
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	I mow all of my leaves and then use the mower to chop em up - then bury them or leave right on top of the soil - has turned my soil from "average" to "super" in just a few seasons. ~ Tom (who will note his soil is normally sandy/clay like) __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

April 15, 2008	#3
Deer Park Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Pasadena, Texas Posts: 199	I've been growing tomatoes in leaf mold for 20 years now. I believe it is the best media to grow in. I am successful year after year while others are not. My soil is healthy and stays moist and cool under the hot Texas sun. I haven't tilled my garden in the last ten years. I pile on the leaves and grass clippings year after year. I try to keep it at least 6-8 inches deep year to year. Millions of worms occupy the zone between leaf mold and soil just doing their thing.

April 16, 2008	#7
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I remeber my grandfather used to rake all of the leaves on his property into his garden during the fall. After the winter snow (in Michigan) melted, he would turn in what was left and he always had great soil, gardens and a lot of worms. I also just pile up leaves and other organic matter on the garden and let it decompose. More worms every year. In fact, when we get real heavy rains, I see worms in the runoff in the street in front of the house. I haven't tilled in about 4 years.