Letting the soil prep itself?

We removed grass from an area and want to plant - I'd guesstimate the bed to be between 200 & 300 sq. ft. We've planted a few of the larger shrubs (ie. 3 peegee hydrangea trees, 3 princess flowers, 2 flower maples), but want to plant perennials next year. The ground is hard & rocky (once you dig about 6 inches down)! As we planted we filled the holes with a potting soil/compost mix... and I sprinkled some bloodmeal last weekend to try to keep the deer at bay. Is there a way to let the rest of the bed prep itself during fall & winter. Maybe by putting compost down and newspaper (or do we need the newspaper since the grass is already gone)? And will the earthworms find the bed (how is that possible?) or should I buy worms? The flowering maples had about a dozen worms in the pots - are those enough to start?

As my questions probably show, I'm a newbie.... please feel free to direct me to another thread, if I'm asking questions that have already been answered.

Thanks!

I'm not sure this will help, but here's what we do. We mow the grass and then put down 6-8 sheets of newpaper [b+wh not glossy colored]. We then layer mulch on top and usually by the following year the soil is soft and easily workable. When we place the paper we usually wet it to keep in place till we mulch the top.Sometimes we can't afford more mulch and we use grass clippings instead. Either seem to work for us and our flower beds. There are always worms, not sure where they come from--but they show up!Good luck...

Unless there is a physical barrier, the worms will almost certainly find the bed. And they will likely multiply like crazy. In some ways, the soil will prepare itself over the winter. Some nutrients that are locked away will be released and without plants there, they may have a chance to accumulate in the soil (although they could also be lost if there is a lot of rain leaching them down out of the rooting zone). Adding compost will add even more nutrients. However, the ground won't make itself less rocky and while the worms might slightly improve the soil structure, they will likely need a bit more time to get their numbers up.

If you mulch, you'll want to be careful just what you mulch with. Certain things, such as straw or sawdust that isn't already decomposed, will actually pull nutrients out of the soil as they start to break down. Eventually those nutrients will be returned to the soil, but in the short term they'll be locked away in the microbes that are working hard at decomposing the mulch.

Sheet composting now will help give you a head start towards looser soil next spring. Not a magic potion and some tilling or digging may be necessary next year for planting but mulching the soil now will be a good start.

The newspaper is not essential. The usual claim is it smothers weeds when making a so-called "lasagna garden" bed but I've never heard an explaination about why it is necessary with all the organic matter that gets piled on top. As the legendary Ruth Stout said, if weeds poke through your mulch, you don't have enough mulch. My experience is that a thick layer of mulch is all you need; the roots of the most determined weeds like bindweed will outlast the paper in the soil anyway.

Grass clippings are excellent as are leaves shredded with a lawn mower if possible. Worms, as said, will definitely show up on their own and aid in loosening up your soil.

All studies I've read indicate that high-carbon organic matter, especially woody materials, will "rob" nitrogen if dug into the soil, but not in any measurable amount if left on top soil as mulch. Mulch away with anything you can get your hands on.

Wayne

You may want to stay away from black walnut tree mulch if it is available in your area as the b.w. tree has a toxin(to plants)in it that will kill some plants. You can find the lists online with some searching.

You will want to add a lot of nitrogen in some form-alfalfa pellets, grass clippings, bunny pellets, animal manures, etc. if you use much woody mulch. It takes a lot of nitrogen to decay woody material and it will rob the soil of nitrogen while doing that.

The worms will find you but you can hurry the process by purchasing some and putting under the mulch or newpaper. We do use newpapers and old feed sacks as they seem to help smother out weeds more quickly and effectively.

To say to someone that they need to add more mulch isn't really very helpful sometimes. Maybe there isn't any more mulch available or they haven't the capability to spread it. Paper or plastic lets less mulch do the work of a thicker layer. Weeds have a way of piercing plastic or paper sooner or later no matter how thick the layers may be.

I don't think lizzipa is interested in smothering weeds since all the grass is gone. The intent is "letting the soil prep itself" which involves getting as much organic material broken down by microbes and dragged down into the soil by worms as fast as possible. Plastic mulch is useless for this. I don't know if a thick layer of paper will be a hinderence to the process, but the last thing that is wanted in this case is any barrier between the mulch and the microbes that are going to digest it.

Wayne

That may depend on the particular climate you are in. Around here, rows of straw left behind on the surface of the soil after harvesting result in very clear nitrogen deficient stripes the next spring. The nitrogen deficiency is clearly measurable in samples taken to laboratories and by just looking at the plants growing in the field.

Thanks for everyone's feedback.... sounds like it won't hurt to follow my first inclination: a layer of compost, followed by a layer of newspaper, topped w/ mulch (which I may remove come spring.) Still debating if I need to add worms....

The worms will be there if they've got something to eat (organic matter). If the right environment isn't there for them, you can add all you want and they'll not stay. When I put down a layer of leaves/straw, the worms go crazy. It also gives them a "safety cushion" in case temps drop very quickly; gives them time to go deep.

Thanks Zeppy. Fortunately, the safety cushion isn't much of an issue where I live.... we might (or might not) reach freezing a few nights this winter.