I had left whole unmulched leaves on top of my raised garden beds for the winter, thinking they would be a good covering for my early plants. However, my husband decided to till the beds and mixed the leaves into the soil. I'm curious, is this going to block root growth in my plants? Is there anything I can do to improve the situation?
2 Answers
You should be fine — thank him for helping you build good soil! Mixing in leaves actually helps improve soil quality, and I've never had a problem with it. They decompose quickly underground and keep the soil moist, which is a plus for plant growth.
No worries! The leaves will decompose just like they do in nature. Sure, there might be a few more bits and pieces in your soil for a little while, but it won’t hurt anything. Plus, worms and bugs will enjoy munching on that organic matter!
I was really concerned that the big chunks would block root growth!