Stomata
Well-Known Member
I haven't dug in it yet to look at it, but I know where there is a GIANT oak tree. At the bottom of the tree, a fence sits behind it. Over the years (about 15) since the fence was built, fallen leaves have piled up at the base beside the fence. The pile is a good 3 feet deep. I'd say there's some pretty decayed leaves down in there an probably a shit load of nightcrawlers as well. I'm thinking about digging some up to use in a soil mix. What do you think? If it's full of night crawlers I thought about filling some plastic totes with it and let them go to town all winter. If it's not full of worms, I could probably use it straight away.
Also, I know a place where a long row of pine trees has been growing for a very very long time. The trees were planted in the mid 70's as a sort of divider between two streets running parallel to each other. Since one street sits at a higher elevation, there is a gully where the pine trees are. Anyway, there's a huge amount of fallen pine needles in that gully. The gully has never flooded, and was put there more as a precautionary thing. The gully is just a ditch in the dirt not not concrete or steel. Like the tree, there's a pile several feet deep and probably some rich stuff in there.
Would either be good for compost if I dug it up? I'd say yes on the oak leaves, but possibly no on the pine. I would think that the pine needles have an extreme PH one way or the other.
One more thing, I read somewhere that the soil under fallen trees in the woods is PRIME stuff. Any truth to this? If so, what type of fallen tree is best? What I mean is the decayed stuff under the tree when you roll it over and there's all kind of rotten composted wood and super rich looking soil under it.
Any info appreciated.
Also, I know a place where a long row of pine trees has been growing for a very very long time. The trees were planted in the mid 70's as a sort of divider between two streets running parallel to each other. Since one street sits at a higher elevation, there is a gully where the pine trees are. Anyway, there's a huge amount of fallen pine needles in that gully. The gully has never flooded, and was put there more as a precautionary thing. The gully is just a ditch in the dirt not not concrete or steel. Like the tree, there's a pile several feet deep and probably some rich stuff in there.
Would either be good for compost if I dug it up? I'd say yes on the oak leaves, but possibly no on the pine. I would think that the pine needles have an extreme PH one way or the other.
One more thing, I read somewhere that the soil under fallen trees in the woods is PRIME stuff. Any truth to this? If so, what type of fallen tree is best? What I mean is the decayed stuff under the tree when you roll it over and there's all kind of rotten composted wood and super rich looking soil under it.
Any info appreciated.
