Put landscape fabric underneath leaf mold pile?
Rick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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avgusta_gw
3 years agoJoJo (Nevada 9A)
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoRelated Discussions
blueberries, and new fruit trees is okay to use landscape fabric?
Comments (13)I like to use cardboard under my mulch. Even if there is grass and weeds I just weed a 10 inch radius around the tree or bush by hand, mow the weeds that are farther away and then lay out large sheets of cardboard, overlapping by about 8 inches, with cutouts leaving a space around the stems. Then I put a on thick mulch of chipped branches that I get delivered from a person who has a tree service with the leaves or needles mixed in, keeping the mulch very low at the stem but higher as it goes out. The mulch starts out at 7 or 8 inches but packs down to about 1/3 that amount after a while, even if you don't walk on it. The great thing about cardboard is that it works for long enough to kill most grass and weeds, but by the next year it is gone. You eventually have to pull landscape fabric out and that is a mess. I have also had landscape fabric get pulled into the lawn mower and get tangled in the blades, which is a worse mess. If the cardboard gets pulled up a little it just rips and that isn't a big problem....See Morecompost/leaf mold question
Comments (6)I live in Houston so fresh, green bags of grass are much easier to come by than going out and asking neighbors if I can drive onto their land and shovel up their cow patties, having to both load and unload the dung. On my street alone, 250 houses bag green st augustine every week for me in the spring/summer/fall. I'd say the pile is 30% fresh greens. The leaves are unshredded. I also gather those in the neighborhood. Mine are all mulched back into the yard. I turn the pile occasionally with my tractor. I left a 8' gate on one end of the fence so I could get it in. By the way, the pile is contained by chain link fence, so airiation shouldn't really be a problem. When I had cattle, my wife would follow me in the tractor and I would shovel manure into the loader. When we were feeding in the winter it would take about an hour to collect a yard of manure. The manure is all I miss about those cows. I guess I just need to be more pile patient without the manure. The pile only gets warm, not hot and when I put too much grass in it, the pile starts to draw flies, which I also don't like. I'm really in no hurry since I found completed compost for 14.00 a yard. It is composted sewer sludge and ground wood, grated to 3/8". The idea behind the compost is kinda disgusting, but it does wonders for my grass, flowers and trees. It's great stuff. Thanks for all the replies. MP...See Moreleaf mold vs composting or mulching leaves
Comments (21)Egganddart49, We both are using almost the same kind of leaves, thus we have a great example of what the leaves are doing and how different zones interact with basically the same kind of leaves. To me, gardening is about "point of view", how you look at it if you will. When I look at what you are saying this is what I see: Your zone is cooler than mine, thus you will have slower decomposition in your garden. The leaves you put down in the winter sat there due to low temperatures. What the leaves did is act like a security blanket for your garden. When rain or snow piled up on the leaves the water seeped through, not flowed. As the water seeped in it took some of the nutrients from the leaves into the soil with it. Because of the limiting effect of the leaves you suffered less leaching in your soil, this causes you to need less amendments for your plants. As well, you added nutrients from the leaves all winter long, this is a very good thing. When spring came you had to move those pesky leaves out the way, but what did you find underneath? You discovered soft tender soil, moist and happy that you are the owner of the garden. They proved their gratitude by giving you a good crop, and paid you back by making sure you did less work in the process. Shoot, if you stopped concerning yourself with how many leaves are still there and focus on what you want to better improve next years crop who knows what you will end up with. Now ole Blutranes on the other hand lives where it is mild in the winter. His mulch gets chomped on by the microbes the minute it gets warm enough outside. By spring most of his leaves are gone, but his soil is ready to go too. Blutranes enjoys the same benefit you enjoy, water seeps into his soil too; he gets those minerals from his leaves as well. Blutranes can plant earlier, but Egganddart can still grows just as good as Blutranes can in less time. They both are given extra time for other things due to some leaves they put on their gardens. Blutranes is sitting at his computer looking for more wisdom from others to use that extra time on. Egganddart can now make a decision what Egganddart wants to pull outta Eggs' hat next. Work in the garden is good, less work even better IMO. I conclude that you have discovered a way to do more with less and save some money, and get a mater or two out the deal. Sounds like a plan over here Blutranes...See MorePlastic? black? Red? mulch? Landscape fabric?
Comments (5)I have tried a number of different mulches. Don't like the black plastic, especially if you don't cover it. I put my drip irrigation under it and the covered it with wheat straw. At end of year you have to get it out of garden and don't break down. Next level is landscape fabric which is better, but still don't break down. Can put the drip lines on top and will get down ok. I am evolving to putting plants down and taking old newspaper print (non color) around the plants (about 4 or 5 layers and then cover with mulch.) My favorite is cedar mulch (non colored) or wheat straw. Don't like hay as may have too many weed seeds in it. There have been some studies I have seen that commercial producers have been using red plastic on tomatoes and has really increased production, however, mostly in greenhouse conditions as plastic not covered with mulch. Haven't tried it, but may try one bed to see if it makes a difference. Think it has to do with UV rays. Don't know all the particulars. Downside of a lot of these is cost. I...See MoreNevermore44 - 6a
3 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoavgusta_gw
3 years agoarmoured
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoRick (zone 6b, MA)
3 years agoarmoured
3 years agoparty_music50
3 years ago
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