Dead leaves on new bed and asparagus bed

[colinc]

Hi Charles, I’m about to start a new pair of long no dig beds, they will be 30 yards long 4 feet wide with 2 feet path between and either side, they will run east to west and have a 6 foot wall running along north side. I’ve collected enough cardboard to cover and enough compost for about 4 inch depth. I have masses of dead leaves, enough to fill a barn, and can access more as I live on edge of forest. Most are oak and Sycamore, will be making loads of leaf mold. Can I use fresh dead leaves directly on to new beds, say 4 inches deep then compost on top and let nature work on them? I also have access to as much old manure. This is long term project so want to get it right from the start. I might have asked you this before, I had serious injury 2 years ago so just getting back into my gardening, living up in Northumberland where we can have frosts up until end of May and it can get down to -15C, can I grow asparagus, I’ve not heard of it grown up here, have thought about building a bed with pollytunnel over it to grow this.
Keep up the good work
Colin C

[charles]

Hello Colin, this sounds exciting.
My reservation about using fresh/undecomposed leaves is that they take some nitrogen while decomposing.
On the other hand, they are adding carbon, similar to a hugelbeet.
Maybe try one or two beds with leaves, and most with your old manure, which we know will work for cropping this year.
Asparagus up north, I am sure people do and suggest you ask around locally. Your walls may help, but the cropping season will be shorter than here, so it’s more about whether it’s worthwhile for the effort and space. Again, I would plant at least a few crowns.

[Stringfellow]

Hi Colin. Not quite as far north as you, but I live in York and grow asparagus. First spears are now through by about six inches which is great to see on the plot. HTH

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