Yeah, what you have is leaf mold rather than compost. Great stuff! Different but still great!

Don't till it in. That could cause you problems while it temporarily uses the N available to finish decomposing.

Just use it as mulch around the plants as you plant them. Let the worms and the SFW do the work of working it into the soil as it is ready. That way you get the benefits of all - mulch, soil improvement, weed suppression, moisture control, and nutrients - with lots less work. ;)

Dave

How big is the garden?

Lloyd

I thought leaf mold was decomposed, moist leaves. Just leaves and moisture, nothing else.

Since you added a N source, alfalfa, I'd say it's undone compost, not leaf mold.

Karen

Leaf mold does not resemble "matted leaves". Leaf mold resembles crumbled chocolate cake.

Leaf mold is a finished stage. It typically takes me here in Maine about one to two years to harvest leaf mold from the leaf bags I store in the woods.

Six weeks might make the difference, but I think I'd do what Dave said, Use it as mulch.

I thought leaf mold was decomposed, moist leaves. Just leaves and moisture, nothing else.

Since you added a N source, alfalfa, I'd say it's undone compost, not leaf mold.

If the single predominant ingredient is leaves then the best you can hope for is leaf mold. All the added nitrogen does is speed decomposition.

Compost is a diverse mixture of multiple ingredients, not 1 or even 2, regardless of what those may be.

Just as composted manure is not the same thing as compost and composted UCG are not the same thing as compost, neither is leaf mold.

This is not say there is anything wrong with leaf mold, regardless of its stage of decomp, there isn't. It is wonderful stuff at all it's phases and very good for the garden.

But it isn't compost.

Dave

Thanks for all the replies....

Everyone-
So, what what would be the difference between letting the leaves continue to decompose in their bins and tilling them into the garden next fall, vs putting them on the garden now as a mulch (matted leaves) then tilling them next fall?

PT03-
It's about 15'x20' (300sqft). I'm hoping to triple that by last frost but it might need to wait until next year.
Can you (or anyone else) give me some recommendations as to how much area a volume of 75 cubic feet of leaf mold would cover (assuming my calculation of 4 ft diameter x 2 ft high bins = 25 cubic feet x 3 bins = 75 cubic feet is correct).

kqcrna-
Yeah, I thought I was making compost too for the reasons you give but I get where Dave is coming from also.

annpat-
So, even though I don't technically have leaf mold, you'd still put it on the garden. OK.
Interesting you mention bags of leaves....
I still have a lot of bags of leaves lying around (from early fall) that I never got around to composting. If I just leave them in the bags, then in a couple of years they'll turn to the leaf mold you describe? Do you add moisture to the bags before/after you store them? Vent them in any way?
Sounds a whole lot easier than the bins if you're willing to wait.

Dave-
So, the alfalfa that I added was only in an effort to speed decomposition? Remind me not to bother with that next fall.

Everyone again...
So how do you typically deal with leaves so that you can get them into the garden next season.... or some other system other than annual.
Also please see my other thread about hay/straw mix that I was planning on using for a mulch. Why would I chose hay/straw over the leaf stuff I already have? Is one any better than the other?

So how do you typically deal with leaves so that you can get them into the garden next season.... or some other system other than annual.

I shred them w/ the mower, mix w/ ucg, grass clippings, plants pulled out of the garden cut up, lots of kitchen scraps, some composted horse manure, weeds, annuals potting mix and all, shredded cardboard and junk mail, a few scoops from the core of a cooking compost pile, the big pieces from a nearly finished compost pile, turn about once a week...

Leaf mold, like compost, when it is finished will have nothing identifiable in it. If you still are seeing identifiable bits of what went into your compost it is not finished yet. You can still use it on your soil, as a mulch, but not in your soil as a soil amendment.

So, what what would be the difference between letting the leaves continue to decompose in their bins and tilling them into the garden next fall, vs putting them on the garden now as a mulch (matted leaves) then tilling them next fall?

Big difference: you wouldn't get all the benefits of using them as mulch. Mulch is vital to successful gardens and leaf mold - in all its phases - is a great mulch. Plus as that leaf mold mulch continues to decompose in the garden it is providing nutrients to the soil and food for the worms and other beneficial beasties that live in the soil and eat and poop out more nutrients.

Sitting in the bin isn't helping either the garden or the soil food web. ;)

Dave

RJ-
Sounds like my other compost bin, but with a LOT more stuff added in.

I probably do have some real compost in that thing come to think about it. Will need to dig down and look.... kind of forgot about it.

kimmser-
Looks like mulch it is.

Dave-
That's what I was thinking/interpolating, but wasn't sure.
So, explain why you think people get so caught up in composting until it's "done"?

So, explain why you think people get so caught up in composting until it's "done"?

Honestly, I don't think that "most" people do, get caught up on "done" I mean. It seems primarily to be an focus issue for those new to composting. I think most experienced composters recognize that compost, in all its various stages, is good stuff. The when to use it all depends on what you want to use it for.

Sheet composters use it practically raw, young compost makes a great plant mulch while still chunky, more done composted stuff is a great container soil additive, compost tea and soil tilth improver (with some extra nitrogen added to compensate), finely sifted stuff makes a good seed starting mix, and "done" compost can be used for just about anything.

The important thing is just to DO it and USE it. :^)

Dave

emyers, I don't vent the bags, but I don't tie the neck of the bags. I don't add moisture, although I don't think that would hurt. If people have the resources, the time and the space, I highly recommend power leaf gathering. I save what I need for my compost, I'm choosing certain parts of the yard each fall to bury under several feet of leaves, and I always take about 12-15 bags out to the woods where I ignore them for a year or two. When it's done, I generally use it as a mulch around favorite plants. I don't have to wait for it, because I've been doing this for years, so there's always a ready bag out there.

You gotta get started.

Leaf mold is a beautiful thing.

"So, explain why you think people get so caught up in composting until it's "done"?"

Well, just because.

No actually there may be numerous reasons why a person may want very mature compost.

These dudes talk about mature versus immature as well.

Lloyd