Leaf mold questions

[hotrodharley]

If you are seeking beneficial fungus why wait years or even for months?

http://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/growing-indoors/plant-propagation/mycorrhizal-fungi/

http://www.hendrikusorganics.com/organic-fertilizers/startright/

Check out all the microbial agents from Planet Natural. Not saying don't use free leaves.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

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."

Hard to say, man. I haven't made one like that.
I only said that a cold compost leaf mold takes up to two yrs.
The way you are describing is more of a simple compost pile, a pile of leaves and dirt.
If you can compost it that quickly, jump all over it.
I just have read from many different sources that a cold-leaf-mold takes over a yr.
But that was simply just leaves with no soil, so I imagine the soil would possibly accelerate it, but I don't know about the 4 month thing i'd be surprised if it went that fast.
but I don't know.

 

[greasemonkeymann]

If you are seeking beneficial fungus why wait years or even for months?

http://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/growing-indoors/plant-propagation/mycorrhizal-fungi/

http://www.hendrikusorganics.com/organic-fertilizers/startright/

Check out all the microbial agents from Planet Natural. Not saying don't use free leaves.

it's different, those are totally different, I guarantee a regular compost is LOADED with microbial life, that's the concept behind it, and applying mychorrizae into the compost isn't a good way to do that, the myco has to have physical contact with the roots to work, or they become food stock for the larger more aggressive microbes, like trichdermas and such.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

Im gonna let you guys hash this one out.
The GREAT DEBATE that is ORGANICS.

 

[hotrodharley]

Hard to say, man. I haven't made one like that.
I only said that a cold compost leaf mold takes up to two yrs.
The way you are describing is more of a simple compost pile, a pile of leaves and dirt.
If you can compost it that quickly, jump all over it.
I just have read from many different sources that a cold-leaf-mold takes over a yr.
But that was simply just leaves with no soil, so I imagine the soil would possibly accelerate it, but I don't know about the 4 month thing i'd be surprised if it went that fast.
but I don't know.

I'm asking, not telling. I like to hear what people know from different parts of the country. That's why I was asking on that one. Leaves here turn dry and crunch to shit immediately. Living in the desert.

 

[st0wandgrow]

If you are seeking beneficial fungus why wait years or even for months?

http://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/growing-indoors/plant-propagation/mycorrhizal-fungi/

http://www.hendrikusorganics.com/organic-fertilizers/startright/

Check out all the microbial agents from Planet Natural. Not saying don't use free leaves.

Apples and oranges.

"Moisture is another factor to keep in mind. Remember that fungi are doing the work, and they need a moist environment. An unattended pile of dry leaves could take three years or more to break down. Keep the pile covered and moist (not wet), and you may have ready-to-use leaf mold in a year."

http://www.gardeners.com/how-to/leaf-mold/8614.html

 

[greasemonkeymann]

I'm asking, not telling. I like to hear what people know from different parts of the country. That's why I was asking on that one. Leaves here turn dry and crunch to shit immediately. Living in the desert.

I hear ya man, the thing with a leaf mold, and even here, is you gotta keep them moist, almost look at it like a houseplant, keep it moist but not wet.
keep it tarped to help the transpiration/evaporation of water to a minimum, and that's the key.
I actually like to wait until after it rains to go collect the leaves for two reasons, one, it sorta "cleans" them of any possible manmade type pollutants (which, lets face it, are everywhere) and two, it gets them the exact type of moist that makes the compost pile happy, just shred and layer in the amendments.
I DON'T have a leaf mold thing going anymore, I took all the leaves I had from last year, that were under the house for a whol year, and when I looked at them, they looked as "new" as the ones I collected this year....
soooo yea... not waiting like 3 yrs to do that, I mean... i'm a patient man... but shit.
SO, into the pile they went.
I figure the humus from the leaves are there whether they are composted with nutrients or not.
So my mix isn't exactly a leaf-mold based mix, per se (always sound like a douche using that phrase)
but in the end, there is more leaf-mold/compost in my mix than peat, by far.

 

[Wetdog]

Yeah, easily 3 years. But, I got a good solution, for me and have them working the whole time.

What I do, is turn my raised beds into sorta leaf compost piles. After a good killing freeze, my kid 'mows' the leaves with a bag attachment to chop them up some and then they get dumped on the raised beds as a thick mulch. On top of that, fairly heavy alfalfa pellets and some alfalfa cubes (hay), some manure (if handy), and whatever feels good and is handy, then watered well to kick it off. This is usually mid Dec or so. When this cools down some it gets inoculated with VC right from the bin with plenty of worms and cocoons. Usually ends up ~12 - 14" thick.

Might get another top dress in early March with milder stuff like kelp meal, neem, soy, etc. When warm enough, I just pull it aside, dig a hole and plant, then move the mulch back.

On the comfrey bed I don't even bother. The comfrey will blow tthrough 14" of leaf mulch like it's not even there. It's really cut down on the watering, especially the comfrey.

A real win - win and perhaps I'll harvest some leaf mold in a couple of years.

Wet

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Yeah, easily 3 years. But, I got a good solution, for me and have them working the whole time.

What I do, is turn my raised beds into sorta leaf compost piles. After a good killing freeze, my kid 'mows' the leaves with a bag attachment to chop them up some and then they get dumped on the raised beds as a thick mulch. On top of that, fairly heavy alfalfa pellets and some alfalfa cubes (hay), some manure (if handy), and whatever feels good and is handy, then watered well to kick it off. This is usually mid Dec or so. When this cools down some it gets inoculated with VC right from the bin with plenty of worms and cocoons. Usually ends up ~12 - 14" thick.

Might get another top dress in early March with milder stuff like kelp meal, neem, soy, etc. When warm enough, I just pull it aside, dig a hole and plant, then move the mulch back.

On the comfrey bed I don't even bother. The comfrey will blow tthrough 14" of leaf mulch like it's not even there. It's really cut down on the watering, especially the comfrey.

A real win - win and perhaps I'll harvest some leaf mold in a couple of years.

Wet

nice!
and don't forget comfrey composted is a damn good way to ensure you have plenty of micros as well as calcium.
comfrey rules...
good shit.

 

[ShLUbY]

Yeah, easily 3 years. But, I got a good solution, for me and have them working the whole time.

What I do, is turn my raised beds into sorta leaf compost piles. After a good killing freeze, my kid 'mows' the leaves with a bag attachment to chop them up some and then they get dumped on the raised beds as a thick mulch. On top of that, fairly heavy alfalfa pellets and some alfalfa cubes (hay), some manure (if handy), and whatever feels good and is handy, then watered well to kick it off. This is usually mid Dec or so. When this cools down some it gets inoculated with VC right from the bin with plenty of worms and cocoons. Usually ends up ~12 - 14" thick.

Might get another top dress in early March with milder stuff like kelp meal, neem, soy, etc. When warm enough, I just pull it aside, dig a hole and plant, then move the mulch back.

On the comfrey bed I don't even bother. The comfrey will blow tthrough 14" of leaf mulch like it's not even there. It's really cut down on the watering, especially the comfrey.

A real win - win and perhaps I'll harvest some leaf mold in a couple of years.

Wet

you have just nailed my recent plan for raised beds the rest of my life. i'm just gonna build amended compost piles (be it leaf mold or thermal compost) the season before and plant into it in the spring. SO MUCH EASIER!!! you must have some nice veggies come outta those boxes wetdog...