"DirtBag" wrote in message
...
I started my first compost pile last fall, mostly leaves mulched with my
mower. I turned it several times, but given the limited time, it's not
yet compost - mostly just leaves.

Anyway, I'm planning to use raised beds this season, and I was hoping to
use this "compost" in the raised beds. I was planning to rototill this
compost into the first several inches of soil, then install the raised
beds, add some more of this compost, and finish off with some local
topsoil from the local nursury.

Am I missing something? Will this leaf-compost be problematic? Should I
swap the topsoil planned for the raised beds for something else.

Any guidance for a newby would be greatly appreciated.

If you are making new raised beds, that will be permanent or in place for a
few years, you can use the partly composted material. Google up lasanga
gardening. This is the process of building gardens using whatever organic
matters comes to hand. You could bung the leaf mulch on the bottom of the
garden and build up over it. You need to have several inchs of gorwing
medium (soil or finished compost) at the top of the bed. Plant in to this
growing medium & over your spring and summer the leaf mulch will break down
and be available for the plants to take up. This way you get to use the
organic matter in your garden but don't have to worry that it is only
partially broken down. I built a raised garden and chucked any old stuff in
it, leaves - used coffee grounds - grass clippings - manure - and topped it
off with some soil and mushroom compost. The garden was good to go in the
first season and has been productive ever since. Savs you time and energy of
tilling the soil and digging it over. Do it a little smart & the soil
biology does the rest for you.

have a squiz at these, notice how they use any old organic rubbish
http://www.fbga.net/Lasagna%20gardening%202004.htm
http://www.ourgardengang.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

rob