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Old 12-05-2003, 04:20 PM
simy1
 
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Default burning leaves in garden

wrote in message ...
I have a lot of trees. Those trees have alot of leaves.. I am
fortunate to live in a town that not only allows, but encourages leaf
burning. My question is this.. does the ash left from the leaves
have any value in the garden? I know too many leaves can cause the
ground to become acidic, but what about the ash left from burning
them? Is it possible to put too much on?

Last fall, I put mulched leaves on, and put lime on this spring. I
also spread rabbit manure (with a bit of straw bedding mixed in) and
tilled it under about 3 weeks before planting.. I only planted last
week, so I don't really know the results yet.

I'n new at this, and mostly going off hints from others... thanks for
your help..

dave


Wood ash is 0/1.5/8 with a pH of 10.4. Leaf ash is going to be about
the same. I am shocked that you have to lime when all that ash can do
just as good a job.
I lime my own garden with wood ash.

When you take away leaves, you do three things to the trees, all bad.
Decaying leaves are the largest source of N for the trees, the organic
matter improves nutrient absorption, and the leaves mulch the forest
floor, diminishing the competition for trees. They also tend to make
the forest soil mildly acidic, the condition most trees prefer. Long
term your trees will weaken and die off. In my neighborhood it is
happening now, after roughly 25 years of leaf removal (none of my
trees have died though, I also give them wood chips mulch). I mow my
own leaves in the fall, and leave them there. I have mostly shade
ground covers where the trees are. And I use my neighbor's leaves for
the garden.