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Eastern Pennsylvania

What is the best way to get leaves to biodegrade? Spread them all around to increase surface area, or pile them up all together? Is there a simple additive that is safe and will speed up the process? In the past I've simply spread them all over the garden in the fall but it seems maybe that is adding to my drainage issues. Thanks,
-Jim

11/10/2005 4:30:25 PM

Circleville Ohio USA

I spread the leaves out over about 2400 sq ft and then manure and next mix a gallon of molasis with enough water to spray the patch. Then you will have worms galore.

11/10/2005 4:46:54 PM

Greenville,Pa.

I spread the leaves out, top them off with well rotted manure, then use the remaining leftover symbrew and spray it all over the patch. Then till. The micro organsims in the soil to do the "breaking down" process really fast. By tilling, I get the leaves into the soil and not lay on top where moles and mice will winter over. A thick layer of leaves is a good insulation. And the critters love it. But I don't like them so I do everything I can to discourage them. A thick layer of leaves is tough to till in, but the final results are worth it. I use this process for both the pumpkin patch and my vegetable garden. In the spring, I don't have to do much cause the nutrients are now available for the plants to use.

11/11/2005 9:22:28 AM

Montoursville, PA

Tilling in the leaves and fall manures along with such other products as you may add, is one time that use, of the Troy Built, is better than the front end or any other method, of turning. It gets lots of oxygen mixed in and grinds the leaves and manures into smaller parts. The price of this grinding which is needed is the loss of some of your earthworm population. The back hand report is that the better soil enables the worms, to rebound, in theory, to a level, stronger than when you started tilling.

Then when Spring comes the cover crop gets tilled into the top few inches the same way.

The use of a Spring Buckwheat cover crop is gaining it's followers. It gets pulled and used as mulch or tilled just ahead, of the vine development.

11/15/2005 10:19:19 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Last weekend I used a leaf blower to gather leaves into piles and then used the vacuum part of the leaf blower and vacuumed up all the leaves. The vacuum section chops up the leaves into a fine mulch. Est. 2400# of 95% maple leaves added into punkin patch. Winter rye already up so no tilling, but I think they will compost pretty well over the winter. Hope so. Most of the leaf blowers I looked at have this reversing, vacuum thing built into them. Sure does make a fine mulch from the leaves. I just wish the vacuum collection bag was bigger. Peace Wayne

11/15/2005 7:36:49 PM