Composting turf

[SpadelessParticipant]

We are about to have an orchard of some fifty or so trees planted on land that was previously horse paddock. The last horses were on it over eighteen months ago so it is now a grassy field. For each tree planted, a two feet square of turf will be removed, thus a total of about 200 square feet of turf. How best to compost that turf?

I was thinking of creating a stack with the pieces of turf grass-side down, then covering with a light excluding material. I have both membrane and polythene to hand and had thought the membrane better to let moisture through.

[charlesModerator]

If you want a nice weed-free pile, I would cover with polythene. The turves are moist at this time of year, it will keep moisture in, worms will explore and you will have great loam.
I never go to this trouble and just flip the turves upside down to lie in, and near the top of the hole, a little buried by soil then a thin layer of compost and/or unrotted mulches like straw or wood shavings. It’s quick, weed free and all the turf-goodness goes to the trees.

[SpadelessParticipant]

Thanks for your comments Charles – much appreciated.

I went with the phrase “about to have … planted” rather than “we’re planting”. The tree supplier is carrying out the planting and his method is to remove the turf.

[charlesModerator]

I did wonder.
And I wonder why that is his method. The tree hole has lost a fair amount of fertility. He loses time, you lose money.

[SpadelessParticipant]

His hole preparation involves adding in organic matter (compost and horse manure) so I guess something has to go or there’s too much material to go back in the hole. As he’s essentially guaranteeing the trees and his planting of them I assume he wants a method that he’s comfortable with.

And even if I don’t compost all of the turf, I can use it to fill some holes we have elsewhere where I’ve removed lines of fence posts.

[charlesModerator]

Interesting.
I think it’s a mistake to add organic matter to planting holes. Here is a relevant excerpt from my Myths book on this subject:

“I used to add lots of organic matter when planting trees and bushes in the 1980s, following the advice given at that time to enrich the soil around roots in holes made for planting. But the consensus of advice has now switched to applying organic matter on the surface, and this shows how myths can lead you to do the wrong thing, then they (the myths) suddenly disappear as our understandings improve. Here is some advice from North Carolina State University in 2000 (“Planting Trees and Shrubs”):
“Traditionally, the recommendation was to incorporate organic matter into the backfill (soil used to fill a planting hole). Some gardeners took the practice further and completely replaced the removed soil with purchased topsoil. Research has shown neither practice helps plants grow and in some cases can be detrimental. When water enters soil with one type of texture and later comes in contact with soil that has a very different texture, water movement (drainage) is impeded. Some researchers report that amended backfill can cause roots to remain in the planting hole instead of growing into the surrounding soil.”

I find trees grow well from being placed in a hole of native soil, just wide enough for their roots, then mulched with organic matter on top.”

Mulch on top is the no dig method.
For more on this, see ‘The Ten Commandments of Tree Planting’ factsheet. Robert Cox, Cooperative Extension agent (Horticulture), Colorado State University. http://coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Trees/command.htm
Apologies that the links are not live, I copied them from my m/s.

[SpadelessParticipant]

Thanks for that Charles, very interesting indeed, and I take note for when we do our own tree planting in the future.

[CleansweepParticipant]

The old tale was that every grape vine planted in Spain lay on a dead donkey. Unable to corroborate this, and finding bonemeal easier to carry, it has never failed me.

[Don FoleyParticipant]

Hi All,
I have never planted fruit trees but I have planted many ornamental trees.
I never add any compost in the planting hole but I do add Leafmould in the base of the hole and mix it with the backfill.
I then spread compost around the tree about 12-18″ from edge of the rootball. This encourages lateral as well as downward root growth.
Don.

[charlesModerator]

I simply fill with soil and keep all organic matter for the surface. Roots in a soil-filled hole are more inclined to reach out for food and moisture.

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