Green dried leaves for mulch or soil additive - oh, and I'm a new member too.

[kadnil]

I cut a bunch of young trees down, along with branches from older trees. I let the leaves dry out and harvested them off the branches. Just out of curiousity, I've wondered, are these young green dried leaves give out more nutrients than the dried brown leaves of fall. The dried green leaves just look like they should have more nutrients in them but looks are decieving. Wondered if anyone knows

 

[Chuck]

I cut a bunch of young trees down, along with branches from older trees. I let the leaves dry out and harvested them off the branches. Just out of curiousity, I've wondered, are these young green dried leaves give out more nutrients than the dried brown leaves of fall. The dried green leaves just look like they should have more nutrients in them but looks are decieving. Wondered if anyone knows

Adding green leaves to soil actually depletes nitrogen for awhile. Adding green leaves to a growing garden is not good but adding green leaves and letting them over winter is good. After the leaves are crispy and really dead they can be added but it is actually better to pile the leaves up and let them compost or break down before adding them to your garden.

 

[kadnil]

I didn't know that, looks are deceiving, well to me anyway, those green leaves just looked full of nutrients in my eyes. I'll take your suggestion and put em in the "cooking" mulch pile for use probably next year. They should be broken down by then because they just crumbled into many pieces. Thank you

 

[Chuck]

I should have explained a little further. I think this link can explain it easier than I can.

Account Suspended

 

[kadnil]

Thank you for the link. Its very interesting and explains it well.

 

[zigs]

Welcome to the forum @kadnil

I'll be making wine from green oak leaves this week

 

[kadnil]

TY. Didn't know one could make wine from Oak leaves, that is interesting. What kind of taste does it have?

 

[DirtMechanic]

An oaky chardonay?

Here is a link to a bit of reading about ramial wood, the slender branches those green leaves are attached to, and it explains a bit of detail about a good use for them in humus production.

 

[OpieDoodle]

I throw everything in my compost pile as I have it so if the leaves are green they go in green, if they were dried and brown well they go in brown. I don't keep it at an exact science. I just kind of keep a mental note of how much of each type of material I put in so if I get too off balance I can add stuff specifically.