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Composting Live Oak leaves
Does anyone have any recommendations or anectodes related to composting
live oak leaves? I have tons of them in my yard right now, and it would be nice to use them for something other than a campfire... But I've piled these up before, and they just don't seem to break down. Granted, I haven't tended much to them, in the way of turning, etc. But I have a couple friends who generally have the same experience. So what's the word from the wise gardeners out there? Can live oak leaves be effectively composted? Any special tricks? thanks scott |
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Composting Live Oak leaves
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#3
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Composting Live Oak leaves
In article , Elliot Richmond wrote:
On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 20:36:53 GMT, c (Scott Harper) wrote: So what's the word from the wise gardeners out there? Can live oak leaves be effectively composted? Any special tricks? Yes, they make excellent compost and are a valuable addition to the mix. What you should do is what you said you haven't been doing, turn, stir, mix. Also, keep them moist. If you have some way to shred the leaves (such as a mulching mower) they will compost faster. Okay, sounds good. One clarification regarding them being a "valuable addition to the mix"... The oak leaves would *be* the mix, at least somewhere over 90% of it. I leave the grass clippings where they fall... I could start adding veggie kitchen scraps, but that still wouldn't amount to much. scott |
#4
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Composting Live Oak leaves
"Scott Harper" wrote in message news In article , Elliot Richmond wrote: On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 20:36:53 GMT, c (Scott Harper) wrote: So what's the word from the wise gardeners out there? Can live oak leaves be effectively composted? Any special tricks? Yes, they make excellent compost and are a valuable addition to the mix. What you should do is what you said you haven't been doing, turn, stir, mix. Also, keep them moist. If you have some way to shred the leaves (such as a mulching mower) they will compost faster. Okay, sounds good. One clarification regarding them being a "valuable addition to the mix"... The oak leaves would *be* the mix, at least somewhere over 90% of it. I leave the grass clippings where they fall... I could start adding veggie kitchen scraps, but that still wouldn't amount to much. My experience was that it took two years to compost (no turning and they are all but waterproof) and when I spread it out on the "lawn", it killed it. I blame the tannin in the oak leaves... So, mulch mowing or shredding is vital and perhaps covering in plastic to retain moisture. My "starter fuel" is water-soaked rabbit food pellets (alfalfa) for the nitrogen and I get a bag at Callahan's for $5.00. Good luck.... |
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Composting Live Oak leaves
In article , "cat daddy" wrote:
My experience was that it took two years to compost (no turning and they are all but waterproof) and when I spread it out on the "lawn", it killed it. I blame the tannin in the oak leaves... When it gets fully composted, does the tannin go away? Or is this going to be a continuing problem with compost that is nearly 100% oak leaves? scott |
#6
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Composting Live Oak leaves
"Scott Harper" wrote in message ... In article , "cat daddy" wrote: My experience was that it took two years to compost (no turning and they are all but waterproof) and when I spread it out on the "lawn", it killed it. I blame the tannin in the oak leaves... When it gets fully composted, does the tannin go away? Or is this going to be a continuing problem with compost that is nearly 100% oak leaves? It didn't with my one experience, but don't take my word for it. I have no oak trees, so I assume what grows in a yard with oak trees would be accustomed to it. My neighbour has oaks and a St. Augustine lawn under them. The grass is naturally thinner near the base. I've read this is due to the sunlight blocking of oaks, as well as the tannin that inhibits competitors for its babies, but he rakes his up regularly. I will take everyone's leaves for my compost pile (usually pecan), but not my neighbour's oak leaves......... Maybe someone with actual successful experience with oak leaf composting will chime in... |
#7
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Composting Live Oak leaves
So what's the word from the wise gardeners out there? Can live oak
leaves be effectively composted? Any special tricks? Time, time, time. They'll get there eventually. I typically just mow my leaves back into the lawn. Gary Brady Austin, TX |
#8
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Composting Live Oak leaves
"Scott Harper" wrote in message ... | Does anyone have any recommendations or anectodes related to composting | live oak leaves? | | I have tons of them in my yard right now, and it would be nice to use | them for something other than a campfire... | | But I've piled these up before, and they just don't seem to break down. | Granted, I haven't tended much to them, in the way of turning, etc. But | I have a couple friends who generally have the same experience. | | So what's the word from the wise gardeners out there? Can live oak | leaves be effectively composted? Any special tricks? | | thanks | scott They go into a chickenwire bin along with the non-green grass that comes along with raking them. When the St. Augustine is edged with one of those diamond-blade long-handled tools from Sears or just with edging shears, it goes into the pile also, alone with things like seeds from winter squash, potato peels, old potatoes, carrot tops, beet skins, asparagus bottums, rotten tomatoes, etc.. Invariably, it seems, the compost bin is ornamented by sprouts from the ancient potatoes, and sometimes tomato or squash volunteers, and we even sometimes get new Irish potatoes. We always have four o'clocks growing on top of the pile because their seeds get raked up with the leaves. Some would say that the pile isn't hot enough if things grow in it, but everything breaks down fine. A little water goes into the top of the pile if it hasn't rained lately. It's never turned. The greatest part of the bin is filled with oak leaves, and it seems to take about six months at most to break down. Nothing about the leaves kills anything. St. Augustine grows right up to the trunks of the live oaks wherever they are. |
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Composting Live Oak leaves
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#10
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Composting Live Oak leaves
Scott Harper wrote:
Does anyone have any recommendations or anectodes related to composting live oak leaves? I tried the whole compost heap thing about 14 years ago, but my "compost heap" was really just a huge pile of oak leaves with some grass cuttings thrown in. It never broke down, but did provide a home for about a gazillion varieties of cockroach and lots of other creepy things. I found that out by surprise one night I started bagging it up to get rid of it. They say that every year around twilight on the anniversary of that date you can still hear my screams echoing through the neighborhood... |
#11
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Composting Live Oak leaves
Scott Harper wrote:
Does anyone have any recommendations or anectodes related to composting live oak leaves? I tried the whole compost heap thing about 14 years ago, but my "compost heap" was really just a huge pile of oak leaves with some grass cuttings thrown in. It never broke down, but did provide a home for about a gazillion varieties of cockroach and lots of other creepy things. I found that out by surprise one night I started bagging it up to get rid of it. They say that every year around twilight on the anniversary of that date you can still hear my screams echoing through the neighborhood... |
#13
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Composting Live Oak leaves
In article ,
c (Scott Harper) wrote: In article , Elliot Richmond wrote: On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 20:36:53 GMT, c (Scott Harper) wrote: So what's the word from the wise gardeners out there? Can live oak leaves be effectively composted? Any special tricks? Yes, they make excellent compost and are a valuable addition to the mix. What you should do is what you said you haven't been doing, turn, stir, mix. Also, keep them moist. If you have some way to shred the leaves (such as a mulching mower) they will compost faster. Okay, sounds good. One clarification regarding them being a "valuable addition to the mix"... The oak leaves would *be* the mix, at least somewhere over 90% of it. I leave the grass clippings where they fall... I could start adding veggie kitchen scraps, but that still wouldn't amount to much. scott Too bad you don't have chickens. ;-) I'll pile them in the henhouse sometimes, compost in no time at all! K. -- Sprout the Mung Bean to reply... "There are many intelligent species in the universe, and they are all owned by cats! -- Asimov ,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,, http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra |
#14
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Composting Live Oak leaves
For how long please?
Katra wrote: Bag them in black bags, water then well, tie the bags up and leave them in the sun... K. |
#15
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Composting Live Oak leaves
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