How deep to put leaf compost

[erie]

I put 3 cubeic yards of leaf compost on my vegible garden Friday and would like to know how deep it should be on the garden?

After spreading it out it will be about 3 to 4 inches deep. But it will be turned into the garden, yet this Fall and left laying till Spring than working into the garden.

I hope that this will improve my clay soil and imporve the growing season next year.

Would like to hear what you have to say about this.

 

[bama bbq]

I've always gone wit 4".  Once you turn it under you may want to add another 4" mulch on top.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

The rate you use, depends on the condition of your soil and the quality of the compost.
I like to go as deep as possible to encourage deep roots.
With a broadfork I can can get it down 10-12 inches without too much effort.
I don't like tillers because they're bad for soil structure.

~Martin

 

[linguica]

I don't see a problem either, especially since you are going to till it under anyway. The only way composting is bad is when you compost with "green" material. For the period of time it takes to rot it will actually draw nourishment from the soil.
 

 

[ryan johnson]

I highly recommend in your clayey soils that you till it in and get it into the top 8 to 12 inches.  As far as the soil structure goes you actually want to increase the pore space between the clayey soil particles to help make for a more organically rich soil. Go ahead and break up that soil structure!!!!  Mixing in the organic materials will also help the clayey soils adsorb the nutrients from the organic materials by increasing the cationic exchange capacity of the clayey soils. (In other words the nutrients will be held within the clayey soils) In clayey soils it is pretty hard to get "too much" organic material, whereas in sandy soils the nutrients will just leach through the soils because the sandy soils do not have as of an ability to adsorb the nutrients as the clayey soils. If you can, go ahead and put this mulch in in the fall, let it break down a bit during the winter months and then go ahead and put more in in the spring.  It definitely will not hurt your garden!  This organic mulch is broken down alot mostly by naturally occuring bacteria in the soils and the detritus will decay more quickly in the warmer spring temps than it will in the cooler winter months. 

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Earthworms and cover crops break up my clayey soil.
This farm works for me, not me for it!


~Martin

 

[daveomak]

Erie, evening and welcome to the forum....   Clay soil like all the above 

 ... and calcium sulfate (gypsum) and ammonium sulfate.....

Below is a link to clay in NC....    Please take a moment at "roll call" and introduce yourself for a proper welcome from our very knowledgable members......  enjoy the forum.....  Dave   

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/133/roll-call

http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/publications/Soilfacts/AGW-439-50/SoilAcidity_12-3.pdf