Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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andy10917
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Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2018, 9:41 am

Just a reminder that in 4-6 weeks the Fall leaves will begin to hit the ground, and the opportunity for lots of excellent free organic matter in the northern climes will happen.

Giving the soil some compost or sawdust in the next couple of weeks will increase the soil bacteria and fungi that consume the leaves we'll be mulching. My yards are extreme in this situation - I can get 24" - 30" of leaves over a 6 - 8 week period (I'm surrounded by mature 40' - 70' trees), and the microherd will eat 2" of mulched leaves to 1/8" of mahogany-colored coating on the soil per week. It's amazing to see!

If you were thinking of a peat-moss or compost application in the later part of the season, this is maybe the best time to do it, and accelerate the soil's capacity to process Fall's leave opportunity.

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by northeastlawn » August 22nd, 2018, 10:11 am

I have a local saw mill, I could injury about some saw dust. I think they mostly work with native Pine. How much per 1,000sf do you put down?

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2018, 10:25 am

I don't know measurements for that - I never have enough to do an acre. I just fling around whatever I have (or mix it with Milorganite) and go to town until I run out. I wouldn't say it can be a measurable depth (use less than making a layer), but I'm using it more as an innoculant - maybe 5 lbs/K??

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by Fullheadofturf1234 » August 22nd, 2018, 11:48 am

Newbie at the compost thing.
How high should the compost sit ?
1/4”, trying to deteriorate how much to order.

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andy10917
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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2018, 12:07 pm

1/4" is good.


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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by bpgreen » August 23rd, 2018, 7:54 pm

northeastlawn wrote:
August 22nd, 2018, 10:11 am
I have a local saw mill, I could injury about some saw dust. I think they mostly work with native Pine. How much per 1,000sf do you put down?
I wouldn't apply it more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Sawdust can cake up if it's applied too thickly.

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by andy10917 » August 24th, 2018, 8:42 am

I would not go anywhere near 1/2" of sawdust. Build up slowly from < 1/8" of sawdust and the proper fungi to decompose lignin-heavy material will begin to multiply and do the job faster - these can be in short supply if you haven't been supplying this type of material or use a lot of fungicides. If you apply far too heavily all at once, you can make a crusty, hard, water-repellent layer that will just sit there. Remember, this is a marathon and you will not make Mother Nature run - she moves at her pace unless you push the accelerator very gently.

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by northeastlawn » August 24th, 2018, 11:23 am

Thanks for the suggestions, I just helped do a reno for someone and still have the compost spreader out, I may just buy some bags of peat moss and put them down.

I had to put scotts disease-ex down once about a month ago, the yard had ben bouncing back with the cooler nights. Its probably time to start the BLKH and serenade apps up again. I got lazy and kind of discouraged for a few weeks in August.

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by MorpheusPA » August 24th, 2018, 12:55 pm

If you have a local carpenter, see if you can get their (untreated only!) sawdust. If they charge you at all, it should be minimal. Most will be happy that you'll take it and they don't have to pay to haul it away.

Make sure it's only from untreated wood, however. The chemicals from treated wood will do more harm than good while they decay.

My better half sometimes gets motivated to make wooden rings with inlaid opal, acrylic, or other things. Even those tiny bits of sawdust and wood shavings get cast out into the lawn and gardens.

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Re: Heads Up: Prepping the Soil for Fall Leaves

Post by Ogden » September 22nd, 2018, 7:31 pm

I had about half a bale of peat and the same of wood shavings from planting blueberry bushes this spring, after reading this they both went on to the lawn today. I’ll hit it with some kelp help and molasses tomorrow. Better late than never.

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