Leaves!!!

[shirlthegirl43]

Hahaha! that sounds like brilliant fun!
How come you were living in Germany? Are you a forces family?

Nope, Madmax is a telecommunications engineer and sets up mobile phone networks. It has meant that we have lived all over the place and if we haven't gone there to live we have visted. Been fun but now a pain and I wish he could find a job close to home.

[NOG]

Guess what I'm doing at the weekend...

Undercoating a camel?

[bubblewrap]

Undercoating a camel?

The only thing I have done with a camel is smoked it

[Snadger]

I sometimes wonder about our local council gardeners gaffers mentality. Today they had the men raking the leaves into large piles so that they could be picked up on Monday!
The piles of leaves are next to a popular school path and if the kids don't get into them the wind will, and if neither of those disturb them, or the drunks don't get into them.........I will!

[terrier]

[QUOTE=bubblewrap;145210]The only thing I have done with a camel is smoked it Er...which end do you light...head or tail

[NSB]

I had a reminising moment this afternoon - spent the afternoon with my 2 year old niece and grandma. We swept leaves and had leaf fights and played kick kick with them- just like the old days!

[HeyWayne]

Well, got home last night having been to the Classic Car show (friend of mine had a car on show) and started sweeping up the leaves before it got dark. Took me about half an hour (I was going like the clappers), and I managed to fill 5 big refuse bags (they were grey not black).

All that, and the oak hasn't really started moulting yet!

Hoping to get my leaf "cage" built at the weekend.

[terrier]

I know from experience that its not a good idea to make leaf mould out of holly leaves but I seem to remember years ago being told not to use oak leaves. Does anyone else know why I shouldn't use oak or am I just imagining it?

[Madasafish]

>terrier. We have 1 oak tree in the garden and 3 in the next field. Have composted oak for 25 years.. and no ill effects.

[HeyWayne]

I know from experience that its not a good idea to make leaf mould out of holly leaves but I seem to remember years ago being told not to use oak leaves. Does anyone else know why I shouldn't use oak or am I just imagining it?

I think Oak are slower to rot down than most, but you can still use them, just not too many I guess.

[Snadger]

I know from experience that its not a good idea to make leaf mould out of holly leaves but I seem to remember years ago being told not to use oak leaves. Does anyone else know why I shouldn't use oak or am I just imagining it?

From what I have been led to believe, oak and beech are the best for leaf mould?

[Alison]

I've used oak in the past without any probs.

[momol]

I used some oak leaves too and so far, got no problems. Have been using pear leaves, plum leaves, hazelnut leaves and even the left over bedding of my rabbit and guinea pig ( they were corn cob type and straw) I have rake mine in the raised bed ( mix with some manure ) but don't use walnut leaves, if they are not fully composted they will stunt the plant such as tomatoes, brassica, asparagus...due to their juglone substance.

Momol

[TPeers]

If it doesn't rain for the next couple of days, I want to go for a walk and kick about the crunchy leaves ( bit like comfort food??)

I love doing that too - reminds me of being a child.

Me too! It embarressess my children though!!

So what if it embarasses the kids, I'm getting my revenge in early - leaf fight at the Brownes!

I know from experience that its not a good idea to make leaf mould out of holly leaves but I seem to remember years ago being told not to use oak leaves. Does anyone else know why I shouldn't use oak or am I just imagining it?

Oak leaves will take much longer to rot down as they contain a lot of tanin. Also the leaf mould will be quite acidic. Be a little careful where you use it! I like it because it is acidic - I live on chalk and any help I can get......

[momol]

Oak leaves molds are very good for stawberry and blue berry mulches too ( apart from pine leaves mulch)

Momol