Using dried/shred cannabis leaves and wood As mulch

F

Farfelu2323

Member
Hello,

I grow weed in organic way since 2 years now.

In my perpetual quest for improvement, I have used hemp fibre mulch from guano recently( and it was worth it).

but i also reading that it will be worth it to add some dried leaf as mulch to feed the soil slowly.

so, my question is : can add somedried/shred cannabis leaves and wood from my previous session as mulch ?
Someone already did it ?
Is it good or not ?
 
Shaded420

Shaded420

Well-Known Member
Kerowacked said:
Risk of bugs, i burn mine and use the ash as a nute. Some bro science about keretones that promote growth.
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Bro science? Not at all. What do you think Potash is or what it contains? lol

The name derives from pot ash, which refers to plant ashes or wood ash soaked in water in a pot, the primary means of manufacturing the product before the Industrial Era. The word potassium is derived from potash.[2]
 
Hollatchaboy

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
Farfelu2323 said:
Hello,

I grow weed in organic way since 2 years now.

In my perpetual quest for improvement, I have used hemp fibre mulch from guano recently( and it was worth it).

but i also reading that it will be worth it to add some dried leaf as mulch to feed the soil slowly.

so, my question is : can add somedried/shred cannabis leaves and wood from my previous session as mulch ?
Someone already did it ?
Is it good or not ?
Click to expand...
Yes, if it's living soil, you can totally do that. If you run no till, it's the same as outside, in nature.
 
G

Gumdrawp

Well-Known Member
Farfelu2323 said:
Hello,

I grow weed in organic way since 2 years now.

In my perpetual quest for improvement, I have used hemp fibre mulch from guano recently( and it was worth it).

but i also reading that it will be worth it to add some dried leaf as mulch to feed the soil slowly.

so, my question is : can add somedried/shred cannabis leaves and wood from my previous session as mulch ?
Someone already did it ?
Is it good or not ?
Click to expand...
Yep my stalks and stems go through a wood chipper and used a mulch or fed to my worm bin, I dry leaves in those like 3 foot long storage totes and use them as mulch as needed, the worms will make pretty quick work of the leaves so when you can see a good portion of dirt again just grab a couple handfuls before you water and place them and water them down.

It's just closing a loop on your "farm" it's very normal for farmers to burn or chop/crimp what's leftover after harvest to return whatever nutrients(and biology) that plant took from the soil back into it.
 
Funkentelechy

Funkentelechy

Well-Known Member
Leaves are great for mulch. Some folks say that you should allow wood to compost a bit before using it as mulch, as it will actually pull nitrogen out of the soil around it until it breaks down, at which point the nitrogen will return to the soil. Or, if you use wood as mulch in a non-composted form you should combine it with a source of nitrogen to prevent it from pulling nitrogen from your soil.
There seems to be some disagreement about this though as some say that it isn't a problem, or that it is a very small amount.
 
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Week4@inCharge

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
I see a few grows using hay as a mulch, seems to work for them, my daughter had some wild meadow hay left over from her rabbit bin. Giving it a shot. Any reason why this might be a bad idea?
 
Funkentelechy

Funkentelechy

Well-Known Member
Week4@inCharge said:
I see a few grows using hay as a mulch, seems to work for them, my daughter had some wild meadow hay left over from her rabbit bin. Giving it a shot. Any reason why this might be a bad idea?
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I think that would work great, honestly. The hay will drop seeds so you may have to weed some grass out as the seeds sprout, but that's not a big deal.
 
King Dude

King Dude

Active Member
I don't recommend using dried cannabis leaves as mulch, at least not right away. They tend to pull nitrogen from the soil for the decomposition process. They also give harmful insects and fungi a great home.

The leaves, roots, and used soil can all be recycled by putting them into some kind of a container (such as a very large Smart Pot or a plastic barrel with holes). Watering it in the container will decompose the material over months, allowing it to be used more successfully.
 
Funkentelechy

Funkentelechy

Well-Known Member
Not a bad idea to compost it a little before using it. Insects that are harmful to cannabis growers tend to be those that feed on living material, they aren't going to stick around on dead vegetation. Even the eggs, spider mite eggs only take about 3 days to hatch. Same with fungus, the fungi that break down dead material are not the same species that cause harm to living pot plants.

That said I certainly wouldn't mulch my plants with leaves that were known to have Powdery mildew or bud rot, just out of principle.

From what I've read leaves and grass, i.e. quick to breakdown materials, don't tie up enough nutrients during decomposition to be concerned with provided that you have a healthy microbial population in your soil. If it is a concern you can add a small amount of a soluble nitrogen source to offset any nutrients that are tied up in the composting process.
 
Week4@inCharge

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
Funkentelechy said:
Not a bad idea to compost it a little before using it. Insects that are harmful to cannabis growers tend to be those that feed on living material, they aren't going to stick around on dead vegetation. Even the eggs, spider mite eggs only take about 3 days to hatch. Same with fungus, the fungi that break down dead material are not the same species that cause harm to living pot plants.

That said I certainly wouldn't mulch my plants with leaves that were known to have Powdery mildew or bud rot, just out of principle.

From what I've read leaves and grass, i.e. quick to breakdown materials, don't tie up enough nutrients during decomposition to be concerned with provided that you have a healthy microbial population in your soil. If it is a concern you can add a small amount of a soluble nitrogen source to offset any nutrients that are tied up in the composting process.
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And if you have to much nitrogen in your organic soil, not a bad idea to use them leaves maybe?
 
Funkentelechy

Funkentelechy

Well-Known Member
I think the amount of soil that you are growing in also makes a difference in terms of your soil's capacity to effectively break down leaves and other material. Living soil is more difficult in smaller containers. If you are growing in half-gallon pots, for example, then your soil is going to have less microbial capacity to break down mulch.
I grow outdoor in the ground, so I have infinite gallons of soil to work with, the soil eats up mulch like popcorn. But if you grow in small containers the ideas behind living soil apply differently. Mulch is a valuable tool no matter what size pot you grow in though.
 
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