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Is this setting us up for disaster?

myclayjunglemyclayjungle Posts: 162
in Fruit & veg
We are filling 50cm deep raised beds.  This laurel was cut 2mths ago, and despite the top of the cutting being brown and dry, when we tipped out the bag, the rest still looks green.  Before adding cardboard and about 40cm of soil into the bed- should I remove all the laurel? Will it rot down under the soil or just  re-sprout?
Coastal Suffolk/Essex Border- Clay soil

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I would just put laurel in the green waste bin for the council. It takes ages to rot because of a waxy coating. Shredding it  is also a nono. Be aware that laurel leaves contain cyanolipids that can release cyanide and benzaldehyde in some quantity when shredding leaves - the smell of cyanide can also be detected if simply hedge trimming - cyanide smells of sweet almonds!
     Put ready rotted compost in the bottom of your raised beds and top off with loam.
  • myclayjunglemyclayjungle Posts: 162
    Thank you. Leaves have been removed and note to self regarding future laurel cuttings!
    Coastal Suffolk/Essex Border- Clay soil
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I have to see we've been shredding Laurel and using it as part of the mulch for years, also large logs on a closed wood stove. If we didn't do that we'd have disappeared under Laurel prunings by now


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    I put laurel in the bottom of my raised beds without any problem...
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