green_machine_two9er
Well-Known Member
Is there specific ways to compost to be most beneficial and efficient. Got huge piles of leaves. Just into a large pile or 55 gallon drums?? Any ideas plesse share. Thsnks friends!
Leaf mold questions
- Thread starter green_machine_two9er
- Start date
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
IMO but have no experience making leaf mold, what makes the leaf mold so special is doing it on the ground so the native mycelium can get right to work on that shit. I mulched all my leaves with the lawnmower. but that was to speed up my composting. i would say the best thing would be to just pile them high, wet them down a little bit, maybe even with AACT, and let nature do its thing. i'm not sure what you could inoculate them with if they were in 55gal barrels.... or maybe let them work on the ground for a bit, get some mycelium going and then put them in the barrels. never made it, so these are just my assumptions. going to be making some this year though 
i used my first pile of leaves for a hot amended compost. the rest will go to leaf mold production.
i used my first pile of leaves for a hot amended compost. the rest will go to leaf mold production.
green_machine_two9er
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the ideas shluby.IMO but have no experience making leaf mold, what makes the leaf mold so special is doing it on the ground so the native mycelium can get right to work on that shit. I mulched all my leaves with the lawnmower. but that was to speed up my composting. i would say the best thing would be to just pile them high, wet them down a little bit, maybe even with AACT, and let nature do its thing. i'm not sure what you could inoculate them with if they were in 55gal barrels.... or maybe let them work on the ground for a bit, get some mycelium going and then put them in the barrels. never made it, so these are just my assumptions. going to be making some this year though
i used my first pile of leaves for a hot amended compost. the rest will go to leaf mold production.
Ive neen putting on top of old soil. A mix of compost and grass trimmings. This has been sitting for over a year. Now yhe fresh leaf right on top im thinking. Barrels was just a thought. Was thinking putting on side to roll back and forth every once ina while. I jusy have a excess of leaves and barrels so might try a few methods.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Barrels will make you some nice moldy rotten garbage. Aeration is key to good composting. Piles are best if you don't have a drum composter.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
You should really read up on composting. Just leaves wastes the leaves. You need some other materials in there.
http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
for leaf mold? i thought it was supposed to be just leaves...
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
The leaf mold is the starter for your compost.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
From the link I posted!
1. Start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds.
2. Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
3. Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down.
4. Add manure, green manure ( clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings) or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.
5. Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
1. Start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds.
2. Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile.
3. Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down.
4. Add manure, green manure ( clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings) or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along.
5. Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
"A healthy compost pile should have much more carbon than nitrogen. A simple rule of thumb is to use one-third green and two-thirds brown materials. The bulkiness of the brown materials allows oxygen to penetrate and nourish the organisms that reside there. Too much nitrogen makes for a dense, smelly, slowly decomposing anaerobic mass. Good composting hygiene means covering fresh nitrogen-rich material, which can release odors if exposed to open air, with carbon-rich material, which often exudes a fresh, wonderful smell. If in doubt, add more carbon!"
Your moldy leaves are the carbon.
Your moldy leaves are the carbon.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
"~ Composting leaves
If you have too many leaves to incorporate into the compost bin, you can simply compost the pile of leaves by itself. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate; a shaded area will help keep the pile from drying out.
The leaf pile should be at least 4' in diameter and 3' in height. Include a layer of dirt between each foot of leaves. The pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of moisture will appear. The pile should not be packed too tightly.
The pile will compost in 4 - 6 months, with the material being dark and crumbly. Leaf compost is best used as an organic soil amendment and conditioner; it is not normally used as a fertilizer because it is low in nutrients.
If you have too many leaves to incorporate into the compost bin, you can simply compost the pile of leaves by itself. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate; a shaded area will help keep the pile from drying out.
The leaf pile should be at least 4' in diameter and 3' in height. Include a layer of dirt between each foot of leaves. The pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of moisture will appear. The pile should not be packed too tightly.
The pile will compost in 4 - 6 months, with the material being dark and crumbly. Leaf compost is best used as an organic soil amendment and conditioner; it is not normally used as a fertilizer because it is low in nutrients.
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
ahh i wish i would have layed down some maple and apple sticks before i made the compost pile. DOH!
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Don't lose sleep over it. I have made beautiful dark brown compost on the ground directly. Not the best but work with what you have. You guys where trees live are lucky. I live on the end of the Jornada del Muerto (The Journey of Death and it's aptly named) in NM at the moment.
green_machine_two9er
Well-Known Member
I alresdy have a turn barrel system. Mostly grass mj leaves. Food scraps that dont go into worm bin.
Im looking to create a leaf mold only. I think ill put a layer if sticks and old soil. Leaf layer soil layer. Ec.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Note Post #10. The goal is to keep it damp. Forget the sticks on the bottom. That just allows it to aerate quicker and dry out. IMO.
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
i've i've been considering going into the mature forests and getting me some "ancient forest"
i bet that shits nice and fungal rich. i wouldnt use a lot of it though.
st0wandgrow
Well-Known Member
Leaf mold can be used as a replacement for coco coir or peat moss. And yes, it's just leaves. No other ingredients are necessary. It's a cold composting, fungal dominant process.
hyroot
Well-Known Member
I part peat or soil 2 parts dried leaf
Wet enough to be damp. Turn every few days. After 2-3 weeks leaf mold compost should be ready. Leaves break down pretty fast. You can add comfrey leaf or pureed oats to speed up the process.
There's nutrients in the leaves too. Depending on what the plant they came from was fed.
Wet enough to be damp. Turn every few days. After 2-3 weeks leaf mold compost should be ready. Leaves break down pretty fast. You can add comfrey leaf or pureed oats to speed up the process.
There's nutrients in the leaves too. Depending on what the plant they came from was fed.
ShLUbY
Well-Known Member
that's a good idea with the oats and stuff. i'm gonna do oats and organic brown rice probably. i'll just layer it in there. i've heard it takes a lot longer to make though. yours breaks down pretty fast, hyroot?
EDIT: i wonder if adding gypsum to the pile would speed it up. they use powdered gypsum to cultivate oyster mushrooms when they soak the barley or wheat straw.
greasemonkeymann
Well-Known Member
not totally true man.
A pure leaf mold is nothing but pure leaves.
takes like two yrs, it's different.
that being said i', not quite patient enough for that.
the concept behind it is to eliminate the need for coco or peat.
it is different though.
for the record, I thought they were the same thing too
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hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
So you disagree with this?
"If you have too many leaves to incorporate into the compost bin, you can simply compost the pile of leaves by itself. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate; a shaded area will help keep the pile from drying out.
The leaf pile should be at least 4' in diameter and 3' in height. Include a layer of dirt between each foot of leaves. The pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of moisture will appear. The pile should not be packed too tightly.
The pile will compost in 4 - 6 months, with the material being dark and crumbly. Leaf compost is best used as an organic soil amendment and conditioner; it is not normally used as a fertilizer because it is low in nutrients."