Agronomist Sinkovsky: putting wet leaves in compost is dangerous for plants
Putting wet leaves into compost or mulching can be dangerous for plants. Agronomist Peter Sinkovsky warned about the risks of using fallen leaves on the site, writes aif.ru.
If the foliage is wet by rain and the weather is cloudy, it needs to be disposed of – burned in a barrel or taken off site, the expert believes. “Wasting time on drying it is already pointless, and putting it in compost or using it as mulch is dangerous: the likelihood of it becoming infected with harmful fungi in this case is very high, so don’t take risks,” advised Sinkovsky.
At the same time, dry leaves collected on a sunny day can be safely used for these purposes, the agronomist noted. However, it is better to pre-grind it using a special chopper or units that are used for grinding branches and bark. “For compost and mulch, it is not “clean” foliage that is optimal, but in combination with sawdust or small wood chips,” explained Sinkovsky.
Earlier, the expert called on summer residents to urgently wrap their trees with old nylon tights before the onset of cold weather. This will help protect the plants from rodents. According to the agronomist, old tights can withstand the teeth of hares, rats, roe deer and deer no worse than fences made of steel mesh or other materials.
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