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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
October 15, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
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October 15, 2020
 
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l wrote r sal- class . chool g stu- stau- ar in . only l they cost- mart’ r the call it a? un to ? while y. A]- ds. It 111 culty . tance data ' eek,” ident Alex I rona- how send- ck to is the s,” he 0011 . ail@ is to s of - ans PERMACULTURE Breaking the mold eaves fall from trees in our cities and become a nui— sance wherever they land. Lubricating driveways, clutter- ing landscaping and clogging drains, they are cursed wherever they interact with the built environ- ment. The National Audubon Society estimates that 8 million tons of leaves are deposited in landfills ev- ery year, which is a tragedy in light of dead leaves’ purpose. In the forest, leaves die to regenerate the forest floor, enriching the soil tilth and nutrients as they become humus (organic matter). Leaf duff contains 50% to 80% of the nutrients, predominantly minerals, that a tree mines, and the tilth (soil structure) is improved by the lignins and cellulose. These plant fibers are shredded by worms and tiny bugs to fluff up the soil so air ‘ and water can pass through it more freely. (Some species of worm can drag this tattered matter up to 6’ into the soil.) It provides a rich growing me- dium for the fungi so essential to forest health. You can see the white strands of fungal mycelia on the forest floor making a banquet of the leaf WORKMANSHIP! By ALEX FETHIERE litter; fungi are the main actors in ren- dering dead leaves. Leafmold is a concentration of this resource that capi— talizes on natural in trace minerals, and magnesium, and is one of the best amendments to en- liven clay soil. Seattle’s Inter- bay P-Patch reports improved soil fertility after amendment with leafmold. In addition to bestowing mi- cronutrients and soil structure, leafmold is said to increase water retention by 200% to 500%. One investigator found it holds 4.5 times its weight in water. Simply by heaping up dead leaves to retain heat and . moisture over the winter, we encourage the slow decay that prOduces fine, fragrant dufi' in one to two years. The rate of decomposition and nutrient profile depends on the leaves used. In our region, I have found alder, willow, cherry and cascara to break down quickly, whereas bigleaf maple is still identifi- able as such over a year later. Conifer needles are even slower to break down, and trees in the Juglans genus like walnuts should not be in- cluded in leafmold because of Serving Western Washington for over years #Al ROOI‘T 1 1 PR $599 OR 10% OFF WI 5 “ATM ON ANY NEW ROOF OR RE-ROOF Call us now for a free estlmata (360)456-3822 mwmmymm.&upanmumumdmdmw. Limit perm. #A1R00|*111PR processes. It abounds particularly calcium ' Thursday, Oct. .15, 2020 Shelton-Mason County Journal Page A-13 allelopathic (harmful to most plants) chemicals in their composition. Heaps of appropriate leaves can be distributed over raised beds or in-ground plantings to weather into the soil over winter. Leaves can be mowed or weed-whacked to speed their rot and reduce their mobility. Leaf layers will help prevent erosion and nu- trient leaching. In the spring one can plant directly into soil after making clearings in the 1 remaining leaf layer. Some folks even use a cou- ple of feet of leaves to create in situ root cellars, keeping APR llX all the Peal-RS ‘ a («rim-fins crops like carrots and beets in the ground, protected from frost damage. I suspect this would encourage beasties raiding the undercover larder. Leafmold silos can be made- of chicken wire fence-stapled to wooden posts. They can be closer to forest edges because the feedstock is So much bulk- ier than the finished product. “Leaf boards,” simple 6-inch x 24—inch pieces of plywood, make it easier to scoop up piles of raked leaves. My silos are at least 4 feet deep and placed over weedy areas I want to smother. The combination of nitrogen in No Payments for 90 Da 5 Rates as low as 2.85% APR* i The white filaments show active fungal decomposition, and across the blade is a capillary root thirsting for something in this duff pocket. Journal photo by Alex Féthiére the weeds and carbon in the leaves will speed composting and lure earthworms to agi- tate the lot. A word of caution, however. Overzealous harvesting of leaf litter undermines habitats of forest critters and eventually impoverishes forest soil. The best collection sites are urban or suburban, on sidestreets where pollution is least and leaves are wasted. You might say the best collection site is a curb in a quiet cul-de-sac: just punch holes in the garbage bag for air circulation, let in some water and wait a year or two. When I take leaves from the forest, I do it early in au- tumn before the- trees have disrobed completely. I collect from basins where several inches of leaves deposit. I make sure to leave enough that next year’s leafmold will be just as rich. I Alex Féthiére has lived on Harstine Island long enough to forget New York City, where he built community gardens and double-dug his suburban sod into a victory garden. He can be reached at 0nlandist@ gmail.com. Drive yourauto loan to us and watch cor-"me together... Terms up to 84 Months it. “mm. ..._.,,,.......W.---W.i wwwpcfc u.org/pieces rate on your ) lean required (filler is lxmxlerl lorclin, " lumlvngelale lillnllllllllli‘l'i’dllSlilllP'J-Al. -. mlhrlrawn at any time 800.426.1601 ' Shelton ' Belfair Port Orchard 0 Poulst 0 Port Townsend