I have a small stream on my property that runs through a wood, as a result it picks leaves and deposits them in piles where they rot down nicely, so I have large quantities of well rotted leaf mould. The question is what do I do with it. I have read on some sites that it is low in nutrients, and on others it is high.
I was thinking about creating some raised beds and using this as composted material but can it be used straight or does it need something else, also what would be the best thing to grow.?
The leaves are from mostly sweet chestnut, oak and beech. The location is in the mountains so the soil is thin and quite sandy. Access is very difficult so I have to use what is close to hand.
Thanks for reading.
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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- Location: TN/GA 7b
Your leaf mould compost is very rich lovely stuff. However, especially with a lot of oak leaves in it, it's probably pretty acidic and the soil biology tending heavily toward the fungal vs bacterial. It depends on what you want to do with it. The kinds of plants that grow in woodlands, I.e. trees, shrubs, and some of the acid loving perennials would love it as is.
If what you want to grow is veggies and annuals, it would be best to mix it with some regular compost and regular soil. If you can, watering it in with some ACT (aerated compost tea - see the 26 page long [!] sticky thread in this section about ACT) to help move it towards the less acidic and more bacterial side would be a good thing, for this use.
If what you want to grow is veggies and annuals, it would be best to mix it with some regular compost and regular soil. If you can, watering it in with some ACT (aerated compost tea - see the 26 page long [!] sticky thread in this section about ACT) to help move it towards the less acidic and more bacterial side would be a good thing, for this use.