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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] learning curve

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: pete <pete.rout@virgin.net>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] learning curve
  • Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:27:10 +0000

In the UK you would be advised not to put leaves of any description in compost (unless it is only a few). Leaves should be stacked damp and trod down. In two years they will have broken down into leaf mould, which is one of the best soil conditioners. It is also a very good ingredient in a sowing compost as it helps in root development. Leaves are broken down by the action of fungi, not bacteria.
Pete

But humans already tilled the land. I researched online when I first moved to E TX. There were articles about the small towns, and how fertile the soil was. They called it sandy loam. The trees were cut, the sandy loam turned to sand in my opinion. Various crops were grown. The soil was raped. When the forest decayed constantly, it kept it's mineral content right. When man started to export from that land, the minerals were never replenished. How does composting overcome that.? Or if the animals graze it and are moved away, same thing. I have this sandy soil, I need to know.
I have one of the books by Prince Charles about his land Highgrove. In that book that I have, they talk about oak leaves not being good for compost as the high tannic acid content would not be good. I have not found answers to that here.





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