New beds made of fresh leaves

[Allan TookParticipant]

Hi Gerry, after replanting that area twice with summer cabbage I scraped everything off and started again. I used horse manure which had chopped straw in it and was about 3 months old. I planted strong red cabbage plants into this and they were excellent.
I live in Chinley and got the green waste compost from the Derbyshire County Council site at Dove Holes – absolutely no weeds and minimal slug damage. Like you it’s normally slug city central here. This was my first year no dig and I am amazed how good most of my crops were with no extra fertiliser. Only downside is that now all that compost has disappeared it has revealed quite a lot of small plastic debris hidden amongst it
I am picking this off – it is not a big job and I would use this product again.

[Gerry JohnParticipant]

Thanks Paul. I have made leaf mould at home a few years ago, it took 2 years to break down.

I may spread wild flower seed on the leaves and leave it to nature. The only issue would be flowers germinating when I don’t want them to in the future. If I remove seedlings like weed seedlings I should be ok.

I just don’t want the two beds lying dormant for a couple of years.

[Gerry JohnParticipant]

Allan, I’m pleased you sorted the leaf problem. Did you dispose of the leaves or compost them?

The cost of going to Dovetails wouldn’t be worth the trip because only yesterday I collected a truckfull of free, rotted horse manure from nearby. I’ll put it into my compost bins to further compost until Spring.

[RhysParticipant]

Gerry

My experience in small trials is that leaves tend to blow away unless you have some way of keeping them there, like twigs, small branches, pegged mesh etc.

It may be worth spreading a small amount of compost on top just to keep the leaves in situ….

[Gerry JohnParticipant]

Thanks Rhys, I’ll do that

[Author]

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