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| Evertime I leave my partners neighbourhood I collect leaves. I try to gather the ones that have begun breaking down...
I mix them up with UCGs
And pile them up in various corners of my garden...
I want to use the leaf mould it to amend my boggy soil. (I live on a mountain top built on a blanket bog). Do i have the right idea, am i doing this correctly?
Thanks,
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| What you're doing is fine. It's a mulch that will break down into leaf mould. I bag leaves up, drag them into my woods---so I don't have to look at them---and ignore them for two years until they are mostly broken down. I also make up wire bins with nothing but leaves, which I also have to ignore for two years. I also surround my foundation with bagged leaves which I add to my leaf bins after winter. |
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| I'll put my two cents in. Might be a good idea to review the definitions in the FAQ (very short info pieces listed at the top of many forum pages). There is some contradiction in the Subject line "Making Leaf Mould using coffee grounds". Leaf Mold and Compost have different meanings, and are often misused. Leaf Mold is made from leaves, wood chips, sawdust, and other woody materials. It does not have 'green' materials added such as fresh grass, manures, and coffee grounds. Compost is a mix of 'green' (nitrogen-rich materials), and 'browns' (carbon-rich materials). It should have more nitrogen than leaf mold when they both are ready for use. Of course there is some cross-over between the two terms. My current two large piles are basically just collections of mixed fall leaves. While the oak leaves are basically a 'brown' (in color and C:N ratio), the freshly fallen maple and sweet gum have more nitrogen and have a lower C:N ratio; maybe 20:1 ranging to 40:1. So my 'leaf mold' pile really acts like a compost pile, with core temps ranging from 120F to 140F this week. Actually, I had to turn them daily to keep the temp DOWN. 'Leaf mold is a form of compost produced by the fungal breakdown[1] of shrub and tree leaves, which are generally too dry, acidic, or low in nitrogen for bacterial decomposition.' Wikipedia "Leaf Mold" Hopefully users of the term 'leaf mold' will use it properly. We all know the feeling when the neighbors use 'compost' and 'mulch' interchangeably. |
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| I gather UCG's from four sources and am now mixing with fallen leaves in my compost piles. The process of making finished compost is greatly increased by a) creating a "pile" which can concentrate the heat of decomposition b) regulating moisture levels in the pile by adding water if the climate is dry and covering the pile if it is too rainy. c) turning the pile at regular intervals. The combo of leaves and UCG's will make a very nice finished compost if made in a pile. |
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- Posted by mirendajean none (My Page) on Mon, Nov 12, 12 at 18:21
| @robertz6 - Thanks for taking the time to lay that info out clearly (and gently :-) I found it extremely helpful. I think ive come across all that info in bits and pieces here and there but never tied together. It's my first year creating compost, mulch, and mold. (I have a proper leaf only pile too) and excited to learn as much as I can. @ lonmower - Thank you for your info as well. - If I can find the space in my garden I am going to start a proper leaf/coffee pile. I intend to gather a legion of leaves tomorrow and I have an endless supply of UCGs. @annpat - thank you also. I will leave the leaf/coffee mulch (pictured above) as is. I'm curious to see how it breaks down. I intend to create a shade garden in that particular garden bed (all native Irish plants) and want to recreate the soil in the forrest. .... What I take away from all the info/advice is...I am creating compost and/or mulch with my leaf/coffee mixture and should treat it accordingly. I won't be tilling it into the bog portion of my garden. I will however lay it on top. M |
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| Actually, leaf mould is made from leaves. Only leaves. |
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| So what you would find out in the woods, tree leaves and needles from conifers, twigs, plant residue, and animal dropiings, would not be leaf mold? |
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| Hello Mirendajean - you've said elsewhere that you are a transplanted American gardener and I don't know where you've gardened before so forgive me if you know all this already. But you might find that techniques which work in much of the US will not be too helpful in Ireland. You've said you live on a bog so your ground is likely damp and acidic. The rushes happily growing in your garden show just how wet it is there. Under these conditions heavy mulching is not always helpful, at least not thick layers of leaves. The ones I see in your picture are Sycamore (UK usage of that name ie Acer pseudoplatanus) and they can create a thick mat of impenetrable soggy leaves which can spell death under our climatic conditions. Plus the heap in your photo will quite likely rot the fence in the constant damp. Making a leaf mould bin ie a simple chicken wire ring would produce something usable by next year. It is a useful soil conditioner and mulch once it has broken down. Annpat is right that leafmould is leaves only and not to be confused with compost. If you talk about 'tilling' to your neighbours they will envisage you getting out a machine, if they understand at all. They'll talk about 'digging', and they'll probably use a fork for it. Or maybe a spade - never a shovel. I think it would be well worth talking to the locals because you have a particular set of conditions there which they will understand. The plants which will thrive for you will be things like heathers, rhododendrons, fuchsias and other acid lovers which will enjoy the mild climate. A classic over there is Arbutus unedo - a lovely little tree. Also, as you've noticed, grass grows almost all year round so edging your flowerbeds properly will save you a lot of grief keeping the grass out of the beds. That involves cutting a vertical sided channel around your beds with spade or edging iron. |
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- Posted by mirendajean 8/9 Donegal (My Page) on Tue, Nov 13, 12 at 15:48
| Hi flora_uk. Thanks for that. My garden is on a slope. The top of the slope has fairly decent soil. The area on the bottom of my slope is still quite boggy. I've spent the last two years amending the soil. I've built two large garden beds in which my roses and ornamental perennials thrive. My other beds are under construction, they need serious amending. I'm going to use my leaves and compost to de-bog as much as I can. I want a small vegetable bed and I've about 15 roses that I would like to move out of whiskey barrels and into the ground. I will take your advice - I will move the leaves from the fence. I will also plant native plants around the reed. (Im emotionally attached to that reed. When I moved into this house it was the only thing that grew in the garden. Nettles wouldn't even grow here.) As for edging, I've dug granite and slate out of my garden and used it for edging in my flower beds ...
M |
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- Posted by mirendajean none (My Page) on Tue, Nov 13, 12 at 16:00
| PS Apologies for the huge pics. I use my iPhone to post messages. I ve just seen how big my pics are on a regular monitor. Sorry for that! M |
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| Hi again, mirendajean - just small point it's a rush, not a reed. Juncus effusus. Obviously you must edge as you wish but you'll have a battle next year trying to keep the grass out of the stones. |
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| Hi again, mirendajean - just small point it's a rush, not a reed. Juncus effusus. Obviously you must edge as you wish but you'll have a battle next year trying to keep the grass out of the stones. |
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- Posted by mirendajean none (My Page) on Tue, Nov 13, 12 at 16:54
| Hi flora. You're correct- my brain said rush but my fingers typed reed. I've been using the stone for three years. I battled grass and weeds until I realised that I should only use the larger stones. A good strimming every so often does the job. When I figure out how to post smaller pictures I will post a shot of one of my established raised beds with rock edging. It is VERY different gardening in Ireland vs USA. There are plants that are considered expensive annuals in Illinois growing wild by the side of the road here. I must say however that I love the challenge of my garden. I ve spoken to my neighbours about the garden/soil but have been told "Don't bother, it's muck!". I've only one neighbour who has an interest in gardening...I'm sure she is tired of my questions:-) Im happy for any other advice you have as I cal use all the help I can get. M |
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| That's right, kim; that would not be leaf mould. That would be called duff---at least around here. Leaf mould comes from leaves. |
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| Coffee & tea waste is great for any garden. For 3 years all I used was green & roasted whole beans, fresh ground coffee & coffee chaff by the truck loads. Most was not composted, I turn some under & use some for mulch. I now compost all my coffee & tea waste, but not at first & had no problem. Great tomatoes, squash, beans,pea, cukes & corn. So you are on the right track, no matter what you call it. flora uk gives great advice, even better that flora is on your side of the pond. |
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