GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

dommy · 31-10-2003, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dstvns
On 29 Oct 2003 14:08:43 GMT, (WARRENRN1) wrote:

it is that time of year again..... and since i live at the end of a
cul-de-sac....i get covered with everyone's leaves.....
since i like to veggie garden.... what is the best way to store the shredded
tree leaves that i get from my yard.... the garden is too wet to dig them
in.... can i rototil them in next spring ?? should i be adding anything to
them (ie: fertilizer) or just let them winter over ??

Make sure they are shredded, then pile them. They will compost
quickly in the springtime if the winter isn't too harsh. If 2 feet of
snow is on the ground from November to April (like what happened last
year around my place ), then it might go a lot more slowly.

There is nothing worse than trying to dig under a foot thick layer of
matted UN-shredded leaves in spring,. Thick layers of matted leaves
will refuse to compost in the spring and well into summer, even if dug
under; it's the equivalent of trying to compost a solid phone book.
Shredding is key.

Dan
nw NJ

I agree shredding is the key. I have a bag of wet unshredded leaves and that havent even started to changed colour.

However my other bag which I shreded with garden shear (unfortunatly dont have a shredder) and wetted has already started to turn into a brown/blackish color after only 3 weeks.