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Leaf mould vs Chalara ash dieback

Spider5Spider5 Posts: 2
in Problem solving

Last year we composted the leaves from the mixed deciduous trees in and around our garden and planned to do the same this year.  However, there are ash trees within our collection area, they do not seem to have any of the signs of Chalara ash dieback I have found in my internet research; is it considered safe to harvest ash leaves for leaf mould?

Posts

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    I don't see it as a problem-in the wild they will decompose naturally-despite the disease-in a garden situation you are doing the same

     

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,441

    And fungal spores are in the air all the time. I don't think anything we do will alter that.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,109

    We have two much loved mature ash trees and are quite anxious about them so I've been listening to and reading everything I can about this.  I heard an expert say that the spores would not survive long on fallen leaves and it was quite safe to compost them.  I hope they're right - they don't seem to know all that much about it.  Anyway, as we'll be using the leafmould in this garden with the trees that grew the leaves, I shall gather the fallen leaves again this year and make leafmould.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619
    I asked a friend (a tree specialist) about this. Apart from his very gloomy prognosis for the UK ash tree population, his recommendation was to carry on making leaf mould from ash as long as the vicinity was still disease free. He said the disease is carried on the leaves, specifically the petioles, and that burning the leaves in affected areas might be a wiser choice in an attempt to limit the spread.
  • Spider5Spider5 Posts: 2

    Thank you all for your input; still no signs of the disease in our area so leaf mould it is.

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