Shredded leaf layer - what to do?

9 years ago

DH decided to help on Sat when I had to get DD to a Scout field trip. He put composted manure (very well composted, medum low in N, but high in P and K) on a bed where I planned on planting tomatoes. Bed is sandy loam and last year with all the rain got very low in N (I'm going to try bloodmeal) and K though P was High (hopefully adding more won't hurt).

BUT.... this was the bed he had put shredded leaves on and covered with burlap. The leaves didn't really decompose, I pulled off the burlap when I was out there planting beans the other day so that the soil could warm up. Had an inch or 2 of shredded leaves that I didn't rake off, but neither did he.

So now I have sandy loam already low in N, a 2" layer of leaves, and 3" of compost on top the whole length of the bed where I was going to transplant tomatoes 2ft apart.

I assume that dry leaves will tie up N as they decompose just like wood does. So I don't know if I should dig everything in along the whole row. Sprinkle with bloodmeal (and how much?) first?

Or clear spots every 2ft for transplants and just dig a couple shovelfuls of compost into the hole for each plant, leave the leaf/compost layers alone? Mix them later so the leave don't get into the holes? Then sprinkle bloodmeal around each plant? or put it in the holes (I don't want to burn the roots)?

Comments (2)

digdirt2
9 years ago
My option choices would be:

(1) add blood meal or other high N nutrient (per label directions) to the bed and till/mix up the whole bed contents so all evenly distributed then plant. Add N as needed throughout the season.

(2) rake off all the leaves and manure into a pile and mix in blood meal or other high N nutrient with them, plant in the raked off bed, then once plants established, use the raked off pile as mulch around the plants.

Either way you will need N supplements until the leaves decompose more.

I'd do #1 as even shredded leaves mixed with composted manure can take 6 months to balance out, 3 months with the blood meal mixed in too.

Dave
2ajsmama
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks - the manure doesn't have much N left in it, so I as going to add bloodmeal (or maybe coffee chaff - not good as mulch since it packs and becomes hydrophobic, but good compost activator) anyway.

DH says he scraped the leaves off to the sides and put manure in the middle (and some fell on top of leaves), that's why it looks like there is such a thick layer. I was going to use the leaves as mulch, he misunderstood when I said I'd "use them on top". But we have plenty.

Glad to see you recommend #1 - less work (I think) than scraping it all off to mix, then putting it back on.

Almost done with 2nd side (60+ ft) of raised beds in tunnel - got west side all filled yesterday AM after double-digging on Sat PM.
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