Straw ... re-visited ...

Tomstrees · October 27, 2006

Hey everyone ~

I just removed all of the straw that
my garden was mulched with ;
and bagged it up for "drop-off" ...

Could I have left it on top
of the soil to protect it over the winter ?

~ Tom

elkwc36 · October 27, 2006

Tom,
I'm going to work mine into the ground tomorrow then plant hairy vetch. I will also add the manure and work it in prior to planting the vetch. I work all mulch in. Just think it adds so much to the soil. You can leave it on top also if you desire. JMO JD

cecilsgarden1958 · October 29, 2006

I always till mine in, unless I over mulched with it and there is just way way too much too till, which happend this year. It help soil tilth to incorperate it in.

CECIL

Adenn1 · October 29, 2006

I pretty much left the straw I used alone...I am now topping it with grass/leaf clippings, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps and leaf compost. The beds were started as "lasagna beds" and have done great so far. I may gently turn the bed in the spring...I try not to do too much to disturb things. The earth worms seem to do all of the work.

shelleybean · October 29, 2006

I use the straw all year. There's a lot less weeding to do for the spring garden.

Tomstrees · October 29, 2006

even if you've had foliage
problems during the season?
Also is it ok to mow leaves and
dump on top of the garden for winter to
be turned over in spring ?

~ Tom

cecilsgarden1958 · October 29, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomstrees

even if you've had foliage
problems during the season?
Also is it ok to mow leaves and
dump on top of the garden for winter to
be turned over in spring ?

~ Tom

Did a lot of leaves fall into the straw? I always did to clean out debris.

What kind of leaves. Some leaves contain lots of taurine, which isn't good.

CECIL

Tomstrees · October 29, 2006

Cecil ..
Mostly maple and some oak leaves ,,,
I'm sure I removed all tomato debris ...

~ Tom

feldon30 · October 29, 2006

I thought the straw was there to prevent and reduce foliage problems?

cecilsgarden1958 · October 29, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomstrees

Cecil ..
Mostly maple and some oak leaves ,,,
I'm sure I removed all tomato debris ...

~ Tom

Oak leaves are high in taurine. You would have to adjust your PH because it would ake your soil acidic.

CECIL

dcarch · October 29, 2006

I wish that there would be a compost forum to centralize this type of information.

dcarch

Mantis · October 30, 2006

Thats why I asked the question in the suggestions forum. Got more negative than positive replies, so I guess Mischka gave it the thumbs down.

Grub · October 30, 2006

Yeh, this is the straw that broke the camel's back.

Tomstrees · October 30, 2006

Its no biggie ...
I don't think I need a forum for mi compost questions!
I think I've posted the one over
at the "other-place" once or twice ...
Becoming a regular poster
in a compost forum to me ... sounds kinda dirty
and creepy ! I don't think we need to worm our way into getting one here ... I guess you guys do ! lol ~

On another note ... getting my garden "prep-ed" for spring never felt better ... Seaweed applications and all ~

lol ~ Tom

October 27, 2006	#1
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Straw ... re-visited ... Hey everyone ~ I just removed all of the straw that my garden was mulched with ; and bagged it up for "drop-off" ... Could I have left it on top of the soil to protect it over the winter ? ~ Tom __________________ 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

October 29, 2006	#3
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	I always till mine in, unless I over mulched with it and there is just way way too much too till, which happend this year. It help soil tilth to incorperate it in. CECIL __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

October 29, 2006	#5
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I use the straw all year. There's a lot less weeding to do for the spring garden. __________________ Michele

October 29, 2006	#6
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	even if you've had foliage problems during the season? Also is it ok to mow leaves and dump on top of the garden for winter to be turned over in spring ? ~ Tom __________________ 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

October 29, 2006	#8
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Cecil .. Mostly maple and some oak leaves ,,, I'm sure I removed all tomato debris ... ~ Tom __________________ 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

October 27, 2006	#2
elkwc36 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: SW Kansas Posts: 339	Tom, I'm going to work mine into the ground tomorrow then plant hairy vetch. I will also add the manure and work it in prior to planting the vetch. I work all mulch in. Just think it adds so much to the soil. You can leave it on top also if you desire. JMO JD

October 29, 2006	#4
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	I pretty much left the straw I used alone...I am now topping it with grass/leaf clippings, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps and leaf compost. The beds were started as "lasagna beds" and have done great so far. I may gently turn the bed in the spring...I try not to do too much to disturb things. The earth worms seem to do all of the work.

October 29, 2006	#9
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I thought the straw was there to prevent and reduce foliage problems? __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

October 29, 2006	#11
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	I wish that there would be a compost forum to centralize this type of information. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

October 30, 2006	#12
Mantis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 1,241	Thats why I asked the question in the suggestions forum. Got more negative than positive replies, so I guess Mischka gave it the thumbs down.

October 30, 2006	#13
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Yeh, this is the straw that broke the camel's back.