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Autumn CrescendoRead the article this discussion is about
This archived discussion is "read only".
» Daffyclay - Autumn Colors Marge,Thanks for the article and the colors. I've been in such straights over getting my daffodil beds made and replanted that I sort of forgot about looking at the beauty around me. One of the advantages of have the Seneca Forest behind me is all the different trees and bushes and the different colors they produce. We are in peak, if not beyond peak. -- posted by Daffyclay » Marge_Talt - color break Hi Clay,Delighted I was able to get your mind off all that work while the leaves were with us. Yesterday was absolutely georgous - both weather-wise and color-wise...I think the peak. Today's rain has the leaves falling like...well, like rain. Tomorrow, most of the trees will be bare. So, it's a good thing you looked up from your digging when you did or you'd have missed autumn's crescendo all together this year. Hope you are making progress, I know you had one whale of a task to accomplish in a short while. -- posted by Marge_Talt » HollyT - leaves off trees, on ground Great article, Marge. Those leaves are gorgeous on the trees, not quite so nice on the lawn. But we all know they're the gardener's gift, if you have the time and energy to deal with them. And so, my question: I'm redigging some of my perennial and shrub beds. I'm running short of compost, leaf mold, etc. What happens if I add shredded leaves, without waiting for them to compost? I did this a few years ago in a daylily bed, and of course the soil was a bit fluffy at first. But by spring it seemed ok.So what do you think? I have one bed that has daylilies and will get lilies and tulips, etc. Could save the best compost, leaf mold, etc. for this one. Have another one that's mostly astilbe and hydrangea with a few lilies. A third has hosta, hydrangea, more lilies, bleeding heart, etc. Could I dig some of the shredded leaves into any of these beds now as organic matter? -- posted by HollyT » Marge_Talt - leaves on and in ground Hi Holly,Apologies for tardy reply...been burning the old midnight oil the past few days. Glad you enjoyed the article. Agree 100% about those leaves being much nicer on the trees than where most now lie...on drive, paths and other places I need to get them off of! You can incorporate "raw" shredded leaves into soil. The only downside, if it happens, is that they are basically carbon and the soil organisms who digest them can tie up available nitrogen in the soil while they do this, depriving your plants of same. However, if you sprinkle a bit of balanced fertilizer or (if you have no carnivors around to dig after the dead body) bloodmeal on them before tilling or digging in, that should take care of the problem. If they and the soil are moist enough, they will decompose over winter as they would in a heap. Plus, if the winter is mild and the soil temps stay warm enough for earthworm activity, those little guys will munch away happily on them. If you're preparing a new bed, I'd say go ahead and dig in. For beds with resident shrubs and established perennials, I'd say use them as a mulch and let Mother Nature rot them down..seems to me it's getting a tad late to lift and redig and reset perennials and shrubs unless absolutely necessary... -- posted by Marge_Talt
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