Nether Providence Township helps keep the cost down by collecting the newly fallen leaves (no chemicals or manures added) and delivering e.g. for our 2000 square foot of vegetable garden six to seven truckloads of leaf mulch. This amount is enough for the additional asparagus, raspberry, strawberry and flower beds. We meet personally with the N.P.Township leaf/mulch supervisor to arrange for the delivery of first the leaves and then the resulting compost is being made available in the spring.
The transformation starts in a bin made of 2 by 4 inch mess fence, is 4 feet high, has a diameter of 12 feet and holds 6 to 7 truckloads. Adding water and placing the bin in the shade helps composting, as does shredding if possible. By spring the pile has become a dark brown damp matted mass which prevents weed germination when a layer a few inches thick is placed around plants or alongside rows as soon as plants are large enough so that there is no danger of their being buried by the mulch when birds scratch around in the leaves in search of the many worms that are often present. The mulching process can start quite early in the spring with cool-weather crops such as lettuce, peas, broccoli, and cauliflower. Warm-weather crops such as tomatoes, beans, corn, eggplant, squash, and cucumbers can wait. There is difficulty because of the plants being so large or spreading so much that it is hard to find space to work during the mulching process.
The only disadvantage we've noticed is that the mulch itself absorbs some rainfall that would otherwise penetrate down to the roots of plants. As long as rainfall amounts to about an inch a week, this is not a problem, but in summers like that of 1995 it is important to compensate for the water shortage. We do this by watering once a week if there is not an inch of rain. Our procedure, which takes about an hour for the 2000-square-foot vegetable garden, involves running a hose into a convenient place in the garden and using it to fill 5-gallon pails which are carried to individual crops in the garden and emptied by means of a 2- pound coffee can. Plants like broccoli and peppers get one can each and row crops like carrots get one can per 3 feet, but to be sure to avoid dry rot in tomatoes we use two cans on each tomato plant. The cans of water are dumped directly at the base of the plant so that the water all goes underneath the mulch and benefits the roots of plants. In years with fairly normal rainfall we rarely use the hose and pail system but instead rely on pails of water accumulated in the kitchen when washing vegetables, rinsing dishes, etc. In 1995, however, we not only used the hose and pail system numerous times but also used the hose to mist the leaves of the plants for about 10 minutes several times a day during periods when the temperature was above 90 degrees.
For a garden that is highly productive whatever the weather, that never requires cultivation once the mulch is in place, and that is virtually weed-free, give leaf mulching a try. We think you'll like the results.
95/09/10
Prepared By: James H.S. Bradley & Estella, Bradley
Wallingford, PA
For: John A. Keslick Jr.
Tree Biologist
Contact
Text & Graphics Copyright © 1997 Keslick & Son Modern Arboriculture