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Organic Gardening

mulching with shredded leaves

10 years ago

Hi all - i have a dappled shade perinneal garden which I cover with shredded leaves in the fall. They seem to work beautifully as a compost, enriching my soil and basically disappear by late july. But I so often read that one is supposed to remove all mulch in the spring as part of one's clean-up routine. Do you think it's better to put the shredded leaves on in the spring rather that fall?

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Comments (9)

Kimmsr
10 years ago
I have used shredded leaves as mulches on my planting beds for years and have not removed those mulches in the spring since they will be needed even more as summer progresses. Shredded leaf mulches can help modify soil temperatures during the winter while during the spring and summer they will aid in suppressing unwanted plant (weed) growth, aid in soil moisture conservation, aid in modifying soil temperatures, and add organic matter to the soil. There simply is no good reason to remove that mulch in the spring, although you may need to pull back some for a short time if you plant seeds.
User
10 years ago
But I so often read that one is supposed to remove all mulch in the spring as part of one's clean-up routine.

Who does this out in the woods? And yet the plants survive just fine.

If you had applied a really thick layer of mulch for freeze protection, that would need to be removed, or if you had a problem with a severe pest infestation and they were overwintering in the mulch.

But it sounds like the leaves are decaying on their own, doing what they are supposed to do.
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the_virginian
10 years ago
I don't care what anyone tells you NEVER remove or rake out your previous year's mulch from your beds. You will be removing benefitial fungi and organic matter from your soil that would have helped continue to feed your plants and build the soil. Brush some of it to the side where the plants will emerge, but leave it in the beds, this is a huge old wives tale and it sickens me to see people do it.
Natures_Nature
10 years ago
"Do you think it's better to put the shredded leaves on in the spring rather that fall?"

Some people recommend taking the mulch off in the spring so the sun warms the soil, the warmer the soil the earlier you can plant outside. Besides that, I would always keep my entire growing area mulched.. I would use leaves mixed with grass, almost like composting on top of the soil.. You could really use any organic matter.. Like others noted, it creates such a healthy ecosystem.. There's a reason nature uses leaves..
ericwi
10 years ago
Our blueberry shrubs are heavily mulched with shredded leaves, with mulch being put down at various times, often in the fall, but sometimes in the spring and summer. This helps to keep the roots hydrated, and extends the time interval between watering by hand. I pull the mulch back away from the base of the shrub, to allow air and sunlight to penetrate the woody stems. That seems to help keep the blueberries healthy, but I am sure that there are many perennial flowers and grasses that can grow up through a thick ground covering of shredded leaves.
Natures_Nature
10 years ago
"That seems to help keep the blueberries healthy, but I am sure that there are many perennial flowers and grasses that can grow up through a thick ground covering of shredded leaves."

Eric made a good point that I did not mention. Do not cover the plant stems with mulch, leave a couple inches between the stem and the mulch.. Perennials would probably be ok, but why risk it?
grossepointe
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for all the encouragement that I am doing it right! It's a ton of work in the Fall but I know my soil thanks me in the Spring. The only issue I had last year was japanese beetles eating my heucheras and a bit of my climbing hydrangea and did a huge number on my creeping jenny (which I personally love as a ground cover in certain areas although I know some gardeners hate it.) So I plan on removing the mulch in that area in the Spring, spray with a systemic insecticide, and then put the mulch back.
I tried to include a photo, but not sure I did it right!
Natures_Nature
10 years ago
Beautiful, it sure looks like you are doing things right!

PS - i had good success crushing garlic and leaving it ferment in a jug of water, strain the garlic out, pour in a spray bottle, spray on foliage. It works just like liquid fence that is like $10 a cup! Of course, dont spray when the sun is out.. Evening/night right when the sun sets it when i go out there and spray all my plants down.. Good luck!
jbraun_gw
10 years ago
Systemic pesticides have been linked to one of the causes of bee dieoffs. Please concider an alternative to the systemic pesticides,

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