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Post by claude on Jun 6, 2015 22:12:16 GMT -5
This year, when I put load after load of leaves on my beds but the leaves did not break down as much as I thought they should have. I find myself pulling the leaves aside to plant. It's fine for seedlings but more difficult to sprout new seed. I've used cardboard on the pathways as well as a blk rubber like pathway product that I use. (I wish I had enough of that product but I don't.)
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Post by desertwoman on Jun 6, 2015 23:49:28 GMT -5
Claude, you're an Oak!!
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on Jun 7, 2015 6:40:57 GMT -5
"Brown" paper, the stuff bags and most cardboard and wrapping paper, is made from is Kraft paper. Once upon a time it was also called "butchers" paper although that most often had a waxed side.
Not wanting to use paper because of the soya based inks may be a good choice since about 90 plus percent of the soybeans grown today are Genetically Engineered.
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Post by lisaann on Jun 7, 2015 6:43:32 GMT -5
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Post by claude on Jun 7, 2015 6:44:36 GMT -5
Oh! Look at that! ????
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 7, 2015 7:57:40 GMT -5
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Post by tbird on Jun 7, 2015 8:16:02 GMT -5
what am I?
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Post by tbird on Jun 7, 2015 8:16:14 GMT -5
Established? pfft!
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 7, 2015 9:30:37 GMT -5
You'll be joining the forest before too long tbird!
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Post by OregonRed on Jun 7, 2015 13:33:29 GMT -5
congrats claude
good to hear about the cardboard and paper - now I know!
I use leaves in the fall and grass clippings in the summer......(that I gather myself from neighbors...)
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Post by ellenr on Jun 9, 2015 5:07:29 GMT -5
I use cardboard, cover with wood chips. For the path. wood chips don't break down for several years, I don't use them in the beds. I am using this combination in a plot which I took over 2 years ago. It was covered with weeds as high as my head, and as I didn't feel like digging them out, I covered all with 2 layers - ie cardboard + wood chips, then again cardboard + wood chips.
works pretty well.
The other thing I discovered by accident which is a great weed suppressor and actually easier to work with than cardboard is the big leaf bags that the city provides.
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Post by tbird on Jun 9, 2015 7:36:05 GMT -5
I use cardboard, cover with wood chips. For the path. wood chips don't break down for several years, I don't use them in the beds. I got really course bark for the paths, for the beds, I bought this fairly tiny sized pine bark mulch. I told the garden store guy that I "wanted it to disappear by next year" and this was the one he recommended. I hope I wasn't bamboozled!
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Post by tbird on Jun 9, 2015 7:37:16 GMT -5
is the big leaf bags that the city provides. I do that too! but - I have to purchase mine, are yours free?
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Post by ellenr on Jun 9, 2015 9:30:20 GMT -5
Ours are free- so many to each resident. But when I recently went to the town, and asked if they had any extra laying around, they said they were all out- none til next year.
so I guess anyone who is bagging leaves will have to buy them.
I saw someone use that rubber stuff they've come out with for paths. as a mulch. I wouldn't use rubber, altho it is sup'd to last a long time - maybe for areas that will not be used and are not close to my plants.
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on Jun 11, 2015 6:43:39 GMT -5
No one that is an organic grower would use rubber mulches, shredded tires. Many years ago tire dumps were treated as hazardous waste sites and not only the tires were removed but a lot of the soil under them was as well because of such minor things as Cadmium and lead found in those soils. Then when shredding was begun and those same tires were being sold as mulch that concern disappeared.
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