Allotments 4 All

I have just uncovered a  3/4 full (dalek type compost bin) of the most gorgeous crumbling leaf mould, 2 years old.  Looks good enough to eat.  What I need to know is what is best to use it for.  I have plenty of home made compost to improve borders etc, so I feel this should be thought about before it gets dumped on the borders.  Any suggestions oh wise ones  ;)  ;D

I would personally make a bed on your allotment, take all weeds out and put your leaf mold on that bed and tilth it in. Then I would use the bed for growing carrots and beetroon next year! Carrots and beetroot do not like manure. But they love leaf mold :)

The_Snail

I read in one of the gardening mags that leaf mould is good on carrots.  Ooh I found it!  
Apparently you put the leaf mould in the drills at sowing time to get the seedlings off to a good start (Kitchen Garden  March)  

Also for inclusion in  your own potting mix if you want to make some with the stuff out your compost bin  :)

Also for mixing with garden soil when planting shrubs.

Isn't that more acidic? If so - use on spuds, ericacious plants etc. But not brassicas.

Thanks for your answers but I forgot to add that I dint have my allotment any longer  :'(  Just wanted to know if I can use it in pots, containers etc or is it only of any use as a soil improver.  I know,,, should have been more specific.

You could use it in container pots. Just mix it with the compost.

The_Snail

I willl also be using mine to top dress some of my pots.  Precious stuff, leaf mould.   :)

G xx

It really goes down to almost nothing!  I had a bin full end of last Autumn and it's only about 2" high now.  Concentrated loveliness  ;D  I get tonnes of leaves at home and from next door so it all goes into my leaf mould bin.  I have to say though I think I got quicker results putting in to black bags  :)

Good tip, Wardy!!
Am eyeing up local trees and ready for dawn raids before the dog walkers are about!! ;)

Will be putting all the lovely stuff in bags to give myself the best chance!!

;D ;D ;D ;D

Before I had house with big trees used to go to local stately home and nick theirs.  I used to walk dog and take carrier bag to fill with lovely leaves from under their trees before returning home  :)  No-one ever stopped me but I would have said I was fulfilling a public service  ;D

They taught us at college that leaf mould was not very nutrient rich, so was best used as part of a seed compost.

It doesn't have a lot of nutrients, but it does the soil a load of good having all that extra humus.

It is an EXCERLENT soil enricher. It adds humus which retains water and nutrients in the soil :)

The_Snail

There was a pile of half-gone leaves from last year against my back wall. The landlord asked me to remove them from the wall (it's listing AND listed), so I bagged them, took them over to the plot, and mulched my January King cabbages with a thick layer. Waiting to see if this mulch attracts nesting slugs, furs up the cabbages, or whether the worms will obediently drag them down into the soil by Spring ... someone tell me quick if I have made a boo boo! ;D

This will work fine, but don't pile it on too thick. Half an inch will do, too much and it might start your cabbages rotting.

Thank you! will skim off a cm or so tomorrow :P

If ut's only a cm don't worry, it's not an exact science. But don't put it on 3 inches thick unless it's over your spuds.

Aha! so the spuds enjoy a leafmould duvet? Thank you R, will remember that for Spring! ;D

Put more like six nches on spuds if you're growing them on the flat. It's easy to put too little, then the worms eat it all, and all the potatoes just underneath it turn green.

Six inches eh, I'll get sweeping! Will fresh leaf sweepings be OK for spuds or should I be patient and bag the leaves this year? ::)