North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jimfruth@charter.net>]

Ginda asked, "Do you think it would help or hurt the lawn if I spread a thin 
coat of shredded leaves over the area with poor soil?
How deeply do you think I can mulch the epimedia and red bud with shredded 
leaves?
Do you think the earthworm casings will help the epimedia and red bud?  How 
much would you spread?"


   I have a neighbor who brings his Oak leaves and I use them mainly in 
aisles.  If a permanent aisle, I spread 4" thick.  If that aisle will be 
planted next year, perhaps two to three inches.  If you are using it for 
mulch around your plants, I'd suggest the lesser thicknesses hoping 
rainwater will penetrate it.

   As for earthworm castings, I'd rather buy the medium that the worms were 
inserted into.  After all, the worms had to take nutrients out of it in 
order to grow.  When I lived in California, I had a neighbor who grew 
earthworms in horse manure and, as a silly experiment, I learned that my 
plants performed infinitely better with the manure than with the castings. 
In my opinion, castings are not what they are hyped up to be.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
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