Hi Dieter,
No, you can have both earthworms and tree leaves.
Where I've mulched with forest leaves in the garden is loaded with earthworms,
much more than where I've mulched with "weeds". Its the exudates from the
roots of the trees (in association with fungi) that inhibit earthworms. But
you should let the leaves sit on the ground through a few rainstorms before
you gather them. The rain, along with soil microbes, starts breaking them down
and one of the first things to go is the excess acids. Let those wash off into
the forest floor, not your garden. When the leaves have already started
decomposing (they'll still look relatively fresh) they are safe to transport
to your garden. The more the merrier. You'll find very happy worms, even if
all you've fed them is leaves. (Though its lovely to give them a more varied
diet if you can).
D'Coda
(not online - replies take 2-6
weeks)
This puts me in an even worse dilemma. Reading all the lore distributed
via the
net regarding the wonderful effects of mycorrhizae, I have been trying to
encourage
the growth of mycorrhizae in the vegetable garden. Now, do I have to
choose
between earthworms and mycorrhizae? Or is the growth of mycorrhizae in
the veg garden an illusion anyways?
Regards,
Dieter Brand, Portugal
D'Coda
<dcoda@volcommunity.org> wrote:
Dieter, I've been mulching heavily with dry leaves
from the forest for 7 years and the earthworms love it. The soil is loaded
with earthworms. What we sometimes overlook about the soil in the forest
itself, is that the roots of the trees are associated with mycorrhizae
which inhibit earthworms.. Its not the leaves, but the tree's root
system.
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