Spring Leaf Mulch

8 years ago

I'd like to improve the soil and maintain moisture in some of my perennial beds before the heat of summer arrives. I'm kicking myself that I didn't do it last fall. I saved the leaves but didn't top off the beds with a good layer of leaf mulch. Can I do it now? Should I add any lime (leaves are mostly oak, some maple) or alfalfa pellets first and then apply the mulch? Until a recent post, I never considered mulching with leaf mulch in my vegetable garden. I always mulched with straw when the garden was actively growing and in the fall would add leaves after the cover crop was done growing. Side question, does anyone add a thin layer of leaf mulch before applying a more decorative (but useless to the soil) mulch over it? Thanks for your input.

Rachel

Featured Answer

lazy_gardens

8 years ago

Sylvia ... I think kimmsr was referring to the thin layer of leaves under a more decorative mulch. Basically useless.

If you don't have much compost or mulch, it's better to do one planting bed thoroughly than to skimpily spread your limited supply over a larger area. The next year, do another area and keep rotating the distribution until it's all bee treated.

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Comments (6)

kimmq
8 years ago
You can apply any mulch material almost anytime of the year, although winter in Maine would be a time that probably would not be a good. A thin layer of mulch is about as good as no mulch, any mulch layer should be in the 3 to 4 inch depth range.

Whether to add some lime depends on whether your soil needs it. What is the soils pH? How much lime, and what kind, might be needed? I am aware of the many "gardeners" that tell us that northeast soils are acidic and need lime and then throw a handful of lime on the planting bed, something that really does little to change the soil pH although it may make on4e3 feel good about doing something. If Alfalfa pellets are to be used they should be put down before the mulch material.

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sylviatexas2
8 years ago
A thin layer of mulch is about as good as no mulch?

like a thin blanket is about as good as no blanket?

Any mulch helps, & of course last year's autumn leaves are good for the garden.

Don't dig them in; just use them as a...blanket.
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toxcrusadr
8 years ago
I compost as many leaves in the fall as I can, mixing with grass clippings or whatever I have, and stockpile the rest covering the veg garden beds to protect the soil from the harsh winter and early spring rains. In spring I get some more grass clippings, blend thoroughly with the leaves on a tarp, and use that for mulch for tomatoes, peppers etc. 4-6" thick. It's a good mix that stays fluffy and doesn't mat down like leaves or grass alone. It slowly decomposes feeding the garden throughout the summer. By fall it's nearly gone.
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mainegirl04103
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you!
kimmq
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
lazy, I was referring to a layer of mulch less that about 2 inches.
I often see people plunking down some material for a mulch thin enough so the soil under that "mulch" is still visible. That is a thin layer of mulch and does not good, except for the person that sold that mulch.

Now if one lays down newspaper or cardboard they can cover that with a layer of mulch material that is about 2 inches thick which will be about enough to hold the paper in place and hide it. However, if the mulch material is put down on soil it needs to be a minimum of 3 to 4 inches thick to be even somewhat effective.

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