Fire in the Garden ? - Page 2

bjbebs · November 29, 2015

Download the file, Building Soil For Better Crops, from http://www.sare.org/

clkeiper · November 29, 2015

salt... mow the leaves to shred them. they make great humus for the soil. Don't burn them. Mow them a few times. If you pick them up with a bagger mow them several times fist, to chop them up some, then pick them up and spread them over your garden. I do that if I have time, otherwise I just dump them over the garden in a broadcast pattern. This year I used them down the rows of garlic to keep it mulched and hopefully weed free next year. Last year I spread them over the back garden (because that is when most of the leaves are) and they made a really nice texture to the soil. YEARS ago ( when we first built our house here) my inlaws had their garden in front of our house and that was where they were keeping it!, which was okay with me, they had a huge leaf pile at the edge of their garden that they added to every year and that is where they planted their potatoes. the nicest potatoes they ever had, too.

AlittleSalt · November 29, 2015

We started adding leaves to our garden in 2011. We mowed the leaves before digging them in - in 2011 and 2012.

In January of 2013, we didn't mow the leaves just to see what would happen. The leaves did not break down as well and there were some areas that the leaves had turned a blackish color and were matted together. Before this year we dug the leaves in - which is too much work no matter how much help you have. The 2013 garden grew and produced well, but I didn't care for using whole leaves.

I only mow the leaves that are to be tilled into the soil. Leaves used as mulch and ground cover are left whole. The reason for leaving them whole is that it takes a lot more mowed leaves to accomplish the same results. Then after the fall garden is finished and the tree leaves have fallen, I add more leaves to the garden and mow/till them in.

What I was thinking about burning is the leftover leaves from last year that was used as mulch and ground cover. Then add new leaves, mow those, and till them in. After giving it more thought, reading the replies, and the fact that it has rained just under 7 inches since Thanksgiving - burning is out.

Worth1 · November 29, 2015

Here is the problem with elm leaves.
Right before the leaves fall they make billions of tiny seeds that fall along with the leaves.
The crazy part is the big majority of the people that live here dont even know what kind of trees they are.

They are called cedar elm because they grow around cedar trees which aren't cedar they are really juniper which the variety is called ash juniper.

Every place you read on line they say you cant use it for BBQ and I use it all of the time.
A good seasoned chunk of this stuff puts out a very sweet smelling smoke.
These same people say you cant use the cedar well it isn't cedar it is juniper and Germans smoke with juniper.
Done correctly it is very good but like mesquite a little goes a long way.
The famous black forest ham is smoked with a pinch of juniper.

Well anyway the Cedar Elm which isn't a cedar has tiny leaves that break down fast.
The biggest problem is when it is wet they stick to your feet and end up in the house.
You have to have inside and outside flip flops.

Worth

cjp1953 · November 30, 2015

We have very many trees here in Cuyahoga Falls.I wish they had a leaf mulch program that would let us collect them in the spring of fall for our gardens.There used to be one for the residents in Stow,the town next to us.I would go over in the spring and get 5 or 6 garbage pails full of that great soil and turn it into my garden.I use a cover crop these days but would still use leaves if our city had this type of program.Would this not be a better solution
than putting them in landfills?

True Timbers · November 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I looked up wood ash and PH, and you are correct worth. I had read so many times that people use it to lower soil PH. Too often, I read something and think it is good info when it turns out to be wrong. Part of the reason why I quit going to those sites.

So if I want to plant potatoes in a bed or area - adding wood ash would be good, but its not for tomatoes.

I still like the idea of burning those bugs out.

Stinkbugs Roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

Sounds like a holiday type thing to sing about.

Potatoes like acid. Do not put ash in potatoe bed!!

As suggested clean up and burn a.pile burn and add where needed. Or better yet. Learn how to do biochar.

Google Cornell university papers on terra preta do indio.

Improve your CEC!

AlittleSalt · November 30, 2015

Would it be this? http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/l...pretamain.html

Worth1 · November 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Would it be this? http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/l...pretamain.html

That's it Salt and dont think for a minute that it wasn't created by the folks that used to live there.
There were some wild stories that people didn't believe that were told by the first explorers that were first there about what they saw.
It is only up until now that it has been proven that these people were far more advanced than what was previously thought.
Amazonea was populated by advanced societies back then not so called cave people.
No not aliens but organized agricultural people, they farmed on a large scale.
Worth

November 29, 2015	#17
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	salt... mow the leaves to shred them. they make great humus for the soil. Don't burn them. Mow them a few times. If you pick them up with a bagger mow them several times fist, to chop them up some, then pick them up and spread them over your garden. I do that if I have time, otherwise I just dump them over the garden in a broadcast pattern. This year I used them down the rows of garlic to keep it mulched and hopefully weed free next year. Last year I spread them over the back garden (because that is when most of the leaves are) and they made a really nice texture to the soil. YEARS ago ( when we first built our house here) my inlaws had their garden in front of our house and that was where they were keeping it!, which was okay with me, they had a huge leaf pile at the edge of their garden that they added to every year and that is where they planted their potatoes. the nicest potatoes they ever had, too. __________________ carolyn k Last edited by clkeiper; November 29, 2015 at 08:33 AM.

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November 29, 2015	#16
bjbebs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: illinois Posts: 281	Download the file, Building Soil For Better Crops, from http://www.sare.org/

November 29, 2015	#18
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	We started adding leaves to our garden in 2011. We mowed the leaves before digging them in - in 2011 and 2012. In January of 2013, we didn't mow the leaves just to see what would happen. The leaves did not break down as well and there were some areas that the leaves had turned a blackish color and were matted together. Before this year we dug the leaves in - which is too much work no matter how much help you have. The 2013 garden grew and produced well, but I didn't care for using whole leaves. I only mow the leaves that are to be tilled into the soil. Leaves used as mulch and ground cover are left whole. The reason for leaving them whole is that it takes a lot more mowed leaves to accomplish the same results. Then after the fall garden is finished and the tree leaves have fallen, I add more leaves to the garden and mow/till them in. What I was thinking about burning is the leftover leaves from last year that was used as mulch and ground cover. Then add new leaves, mow those, and till them in. After giving it more thought, reading the replies, and the fact that it has rained just under 7 inches since Thanksgiving - burning is out.

November 29, 2015	#19
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Here is the problem with elm leaves. Right before the leaves fall they make billions of tiny seeds that fall along with the leaves. The crazy part is the big majority of the people that live here dont even know what kind of trees they are. They are called cedar elm because they grow around cedar trees which aren't cedar they are really juniper which the variety is called ash juniper. Every place you read on line they say you cant use it for BBQ and I use it all of the time. A good seasoned chunk of this stuff puts out a very sweet smelling smoke. These same people say you cant use the cedar well it isn't cedar it is juniper and Germans smoke with juniper. Done correctly it is very good but like mesquite a little goes a long way. The famous black forest ham is smoked with a pinch of juniper. Well anyway the Cedar Elm which isn't a cedar has tiny leaves that break down fast. The biggest problem is when it is wet they stick to your feet and end up in the house. You have to have inside and outside flip flops. Worth

November 30, 2015	#20
cjp1953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio Posts: 818	We have very many trees here in Cuyahoga Falls.I wish they had a leaf mulch program that would let us collect them in the spring of fall for our gardens.There used to be one for the residents in Stow,the town next to us.I would go over in the spring and get 5 or 6 garbage pails full of that great soil and turn it into my garden.I use a cover crop these days but would still use leaves if our city had this type of program.Would this not be a better solution than putting them in landfills?