compost 1st?
wouldn't that take weeks?
I got the leaves last fall...about 150 truckloads and have been turning
about half of it 2-3 times a month with little noticeable breakdown
no chicken manure but lots of horse manure....just fresh stuff tho. the
older stuff's already mixed in the garden soil
--
Barry
"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
I have no way of knowing what "temporarily" means. It depends on the
temperature and moisture and bacterial activity of your soil. Just be
aware that the rotting leaves are competing with your crops for nitrogen,
so either add a little supplemental nitrogen from the start, or watch your
plants for signs of nitrogen deficiency and treat with fast acting
chemicals (like foliar applied Miricle Grow) when it appears.
Can you compost the leaves first? Do you have access to a truck load of
chicken manure to compost with them?
Bob
Brynk wrote:
sorry, I don't mean to nitpick, but "temporarily" is a relative term.
Will it inhibit just the early growth, but break down soon enuf for this
season's crop?
As far as additives, I try to avoid them, since it's a decent sized
garden
and that can get expensive
Last year we did use blood meal in a few rows and the difference was
noticeable.
Thanks
Barry
"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
Brynk wrote:
Last fall I had many, many truckloads of leaves dumped on my property
to
use
as soil ...when... they break down.
I have timber soil which is poor for most plantings.
I'd like to dump in a foot or so into my veg garden, as I do with horse
manure each year, but I'm wondering if it would detract from plantings
rather than enrich the soil.
Will more nutrients be used up to break down the leaves than feed the
vegetables?
--
Barry
Both. The leaves will temporarily tie up nitrogen in the soil, and they
will eventually release it again, along with trace elements and other
goodies. Go ahead and do it, and plan on supplying extra nitrogen
fertlizer -- maybe water the plants with Miracle Grow. Don't add a
bunch
of ammonium sulfate to the soil or you will drive away the worms. Maybe
a
little fertlizer grade urea or cottonseed meal would be good though.
Bob
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