Leaves

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I am spreading chopped leaves with manure on the garden. I read something that said all the leaves should be tilled into the soil in the fall. Will waiting to till the leaves in the spring cause a problem? Will there be too much brown?

 

[seedcorn]

I till in spring. Depending upon depth, top will be very light and fluffy. Makes for dark soil.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I till in spring. Depending upon depth, top will be very light and fluffy. Makes for dark soil.

Thank you!

 

[rainey]

Personally, I don't really want to disturb the soil's structure so I don't till at all. I have one area that gets a very heavy mulch of dried leaves year round. I just water it and let them break down. Then it's up to the worms to work it into the soil. They do a good job. From hard adobe clay 15 years ago, it's become lovely fertile and workable ground.

 

[Beekissed]

Same here. The earthworms till it into the top soil pretty quickly over the year. It's amazing to watch a deep layer of leaves just seem to disappear over time.

 

[flowerbug]

i call 'em leaves because i leaves 'em alone... if my friends bring me theirs i bury them because the clay can always use more drainage. in a few years i dig them up again and use them like peat moss. very nice garden material especially in the clay.

 

[ducks4you]

Interesting read:
http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F1648&viewtype=text&pageseq=1

 

[flowerbug]

Interesting read:
http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F1648&viewtype=text&pageseq=1

i've read his work on earthworms. worth the time...

 

[catjac1975]

I am spreading chopped leaves with manure on the garden. I read something that said all the leaves should be tilled into the soil in the fall. Will waiting to till the leaves in the spring cause a problem? Will there be too much brown?

I leave them on top of the soil and add more a couple times a year. I ue them on flower beds to mulch and turn into compost. If it is a new garden you may want to turn them under to decompose faster. I used to use them for squash mulch. However I think they just were a home for squash bugs.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

The snow melted and I can see the leaves again. I think the garden is okay, but I will have to get all the leaves off of the grass in the yard and under trees. I did notice last year when I raked leaves under the walnut tree, some kind of green worm all over the place.