CO2 from fallen tree leaves?

Hey, first time post

Long story short, I was wondering if the leaves on the ground at autumn generate CO2 while decomposing. Was thinking of putting some in my grow room?

I searched quite a bit but found no pertinent information on this. How much co2 is generated by say... a pound of leaves? how much would be needed for 4-5 plants?

Anybody?

Fallen leaves are everywhere, I might even compress some and put them in my freezer, so i'd have a year round supply of co2! But I need your input as I don't have much data on this.....

decaying plant matter won't generate co2- usually decaying organic matter will create methane. If you are wanting a natural way to produce co2, fermentation would be a good way to do this.

Welcome to RIU.

"In winter, when leaves fall and decay, more carbon dioxide—a by-product of plant respiration and decomposition—seeps back out of the forest and into the atmosphere."

taken from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0402/feature5/online_extra.html

Fallen leaves do release carbon dioxide. I just don't know how much. I'm guessing ANY amount is better than none, so why not put fallen leaves in my grow room?

Shtebaz said:

"In winter, when leaves fall and decay, more carbon dioxide—a by-product of plant respiration and decomposition—seeps back out of the forest and into the atmosphere."

taken from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0402/feature5/online_extra.html

Fallen leaves do release carbon dioxide. I just don't know how much. I'm guessing ANY amount is better than none, so why not put fallen leaves in my grow room?

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I guess if space is not an issue... put whatever you like in your space. Feel free to test the CO2 levels and compare, but my guess is you would get more CO2 per cubic foot of space from a fermentation scheme.... and simply burning a candle is said to give you more CO2 than a fermenter.

don't know about co2 release, but i wouldn't put fallen leaves in my grow room for fear of bugs.

naimad1234 said:

don't know about co2 release, but i wouldn't put fallen leaves in my grow room for fear of bugs.

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Yeah... that would be a brilliant way to bring in extra crickets, roaches, rolly-polly's, and various crawlies. Cultivating BUGS in the growroom.... that's the real "Devils Harvest"

Bugs are a true concern. Maybe i can bake the leaves like we bake soil to get rid of bugs.... maybe even wash them! A little crazy? maybe... I'm exploring low cost options for co2 enrichment. The leaves are just lying in my backyard, and I have to get rid of them anyway, I thought I could let some decompose in my grow room.

if u get a small plate and fill with bicarbonate of soda place a bottle of vinegar in the middle with a shoe lace inserted in said bottle with one end hanging out just above the pile of bicarb soda it will begin to slowly drip onto the soda creating co2 the vinegar last longer than the bicarb but if u change every few days you have a constant small release of co2 so forget ya bug ridden leaves and give that a go. or spend loadsa bucks on co2 bottle and regulator!

It isnt so much the visible bugs that are the problem, its all the eggs. Bring those in, provide them nice warm temps.... and bad things might happen.

Also there is leaf mold to worry about. I dunno that I would want that mixing into the air, and spreading all over your plants and soil.

The Cardinal Rule of keeping the outside outside is usually only broken to bring a plant inside to finish. Frost, nosy neighbors, plant raiders etc. are acceptable reasons to break the rule. Since nobody is going to steal your leaves... leave them outside.

Your leaves will make a nice windrow compost pile, along with a few hundred pounds of Starbucks coffee grounds. OK.. maybe I will steal your leaves. I need all the leaves I can get for my windrow. As soon as they are piled up near the curb... they are mine.

Your CO2 levels indoors, are more than sufficient. You can supplement with fermentators and candles, but to be serious about CO2 enrichment the only way is a proper Co2 system.

Sound reasoning, thanks Dino

My leaves are yours to keep! I won't bring them inside... project aborted! I won't put them on the curb though... I cringe everytime I see piles of bagged leaves going to the landfill.... I just dump mine in the forest beyond my backyard, problem solved.

thanks guys

dry ice works better. Put the dry ice in plastic containers with holes in the bottom above your plants for proper sublimation.

I don't have acces to dry ice, I try to avoid buying wierd/specialized supplies also, it's suspicious.

little off topic but... are you using dry ice during night cycles? (judging from picture)
I thought plants intake co2 during the day only, and expel co2 during night
i could be wrong.....!