should I use this mixture in my lasagna beds?

16 years ago

Hi all

I am very new to gardening and decided to create raised beds a la the lasagna way. My original plan was to lay down the newspaper, put the leaves we just raked up on top of it and then the free compost from the county.

Then I realised that the leaves my husband raked up last fall (maybe for two years?) and piled in the corner of the yard have decomposed nicely. I used them as a first layer. However, there aren't near enough of them to do all the beds.

Now my original leaves don't seem so appealing. And... though they looked like leaves spread out over the yard, once raked up I realised how much of it was pine needles.

So will just raked leaves and pine needles be a decent layer? for beds I plan to plant in next month?

(I asked this in another forum but I don't think I phrased the question quite right.)

Thanks

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
16 years ago
What other layers do you plan to add to this? Sure leaves and pine needles will make a decent layer - one of many - but not alone.

Leaves, unshredded, will take as much as 18 months to decompose depending on weather conditions. They are high carbon and may also be quite acidic initially depending on the type of leaves. Pine needles are also fine but take 2 yrs. + to break down, and are also very acidic.

So, using this as 1 layer, if well balanced with other layers, will work but how well will depend on what else you add.

Dave
Kimmsr
16 years ago
The myth that leaves and pine needles will turn a soil acidic persists even in the face of good, solid research that shows the will not happen and the lack of research that supports that myth. One such soil scientist that did research, and continues to do that, is Dr. Abigail Maynard at the UCONN Agricultural Research Station at New Haven, Conn who has found that even after years of adding Oak leaves and Pine needles to soil plots there was no significant change in soil pH. The predominant leaf in my compost and shredded leaf mulchs for many years has been Oak and I have seen nothing to indicate there is a problem with that since the "stuff" I grow does quite well and is also quite insect pest free.
Those leaves and pine needles will make a very good mulch on top of the soil you made and will, eventually add to your soil as they are slowly digested by the Soil food Web you will be building up, too.
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llcljx
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the information. I was hoping to not get sidetracked on the acidic soil topic. That isn't what concerns me at this point. (perhaps I don't know enough to be worried about that yet)

I was simply trying to picture my plants growing down through the layers and reaching those leaves and pine needles and not having anything to grab hold of.

I don't have any means of shredding the leaves. We have a push, non-electric mower and my husband doesn't think that will chop the leaves. (could try it I guess)

My other layers are from the county compost (free stuff), grass clippings from all my neighbors, coffee grounds (though maybe not in much quantity), shredded paper..

Since I plan to plant next month, the leaves, etc won't be decomposed. If they aren't going to contribute to the growing, then I wouldn't use them. ????

Thanks

should I use this mixture in my lasagna beds?

Comments (3)

digdirt2

Kimmsr

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should I use this mixture in my lasagna beds?

Comments (3)

digdirt2

Kimmsr

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