Leaf Litter to the Rescue Free Fertilizer from Your Backyard
At Peach Ridge Farms in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we know, “If the soil ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”
Since 2002, we have used tried-and-true methods of environmental stewardship. We use inexpensive and manageable practices, working with the soil to make it better each year. We’ve seen how the plants love it. This year, our kohlrabi was early and already the size of cabbages! We’ve also noticed how garlic grown with our secret ingredient is giant compared with the same garlic planted without it. It’s proof that soil management matters.
Our secret is adding leaf matter (defined here as chopped-up twigs and leaves), or “leaf litter,” in the fall. We let it set over winter, and then we till it into the soil in early spring. Shhh! Don’t tell anyone, OK? Last year, we added over 174,000 pounds. In many areas, it was 4 feet high! Needless
