Hello to all. Just joined a few minutes ago. This looks like a great place to belong.
I have some wooded land and been rakeing up a lot of leaves for about a week now. After I get all the loose stuff cleaned up, under them is a layer that is almost glued to the ground. Under that is a layer of dark brown(must be compleatly rotted leaves) material that I've been collecting. Is this bottom material good to go or should it be composted. I've never composted anything before.
My gardens have always been in ground and this material will be used in my first raised beds.
I use to plant 6 acres with chemical fertalizers on different ground, but at my house I want to go strictly organic. I will admit I did use what 46-0-0 I had left over on my corn, but that was the end of it for me.
My first raised bed will be 14x6, so I need lots of material. On my land is some hemlock trees, quite a few the same diameter. So my raised bed will look like the base of a log cabin, about 18 to 24 inches high.
I could use some help on this brown material.
Thanks,
Cliff