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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Leaf mulch bad in the garden!?

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: "Dcoda" <dcoda@volcommunity.org>
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Leaf mulch bad in the garden!?
  • Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 13:10:25 -0500

 

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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