Re: [gardeners] Lots of oak leaves
Dan Dixon (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 8 Dec 1998 09:31:05 -0600
Harry Boswell:
>But my question is, assuming I add, say, 6-8" over the bed
>as a mulch and sheet compost layer, should I add something else to offset
>the oak leaves? In the forest, you just get layers of leaves, but then
>the leaves aren't falling on sunny flower and veggie beds. Would this
>amount of leaves change the pH significantly? Or overload on one
>nutrient?
If you already have an established compost pile, one idea you might try
is to put your leaves on your beds now for protection through the winter.
When spring comes, remove them and put them into a compost heap where
they break down more quickly. Replace them with completed compost from
the previous season, which provides nutrients right away and has less of
an effect on the pH than raw leaves. If you want, top that with a thin
layer of whatever decorative mulch you like (my wife likes mini-nuggets)
for appearance.
If you dont want a compost pile, you might want to grind up the leaves
before putting on yoru beds, so they break down quicker.
Dan Dixon