The Unexpected Result of Using Mimosa Leaves as Fertilizer

Could we use fresh mimosa leaves as fertilizer? Today we reveal the startling results!
Albizia julibrissin, AKA the "mimosa tree" or "Persian silk tree," is a common species in the south, known for its ability to invade open areas and its beautiful flowers. However, it's also a nitrogen-fixing species which could be useful in food forests and as a chop-and-drop tree for permaculture projects or even for feeding garden beds. If it can do so!
Today you'll see what happened.
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[@davidthegood]

You can get your own Meadow Creature here: meadowcreature.com/?rfsn=7763618.8366fec COMPOST EVERYTHING: amzn.to/3SkypeF Thanks for watching!

[@t3dwards13]

At that point...Have the leaves broken down yet? Or are they just an extra mulch layer?

[@grannyfisher3863]

Last week I watched a video at Epic Gardening on YT, where they experimented with different forms of soil prep -- one was a control plant, one had kitchen scraps, one had garden scraps, one had eggs, etc. The control plant (just a well-developed composted soil) did the best! I think when your fertilizer requires a breakdown period of time, you're not going to get the best results short-term.

[@glynischamberlain9126]

Wow! Thanks for the experiment and look forward to the repeat. I'd planned om using mimosa

[@gardenoftwitty]

I saw the same video too. Very interesting

[@lindaspellman2108]

Saw the same one, and am wondering of I'm going to regret my new lasagna beds

[@eazypeazy33]

@@lindaspellman2108next year your lasagna bed will be better. Do lasagna for prep.. imo

[@michelleh.7010]

​@@lindaspellman2108 My new lasagna bed was underwhelming for it's first season. It takes time to establish. Keep growing there, and it should get better.

[@darkcloudrider359]

Green stuff (mimosa leaves) could have used up all the nitrogen decomposing. Would be interesting to see how the bed does next year with equal treatment.

[@RevRedmondFarrier]

I have watched several videos of people burying various things in the garden lately. While I have only seen a limited number of the vids that are available, I can say that every one that I have seen have ended with either no difference or worse results than their control. It would seem to me that most anything you bury in the garden should be composted beforehand. The process of breaking things down appears to take away from what is available for the plants until the process is finished.

[@blackduckhomestead398]

id say you're spot on, ive found this when i dig things into the soil unless its composted first unless its manure certain manures like sheep or rabbit etc.

[@lettucesalad3560]

maybe try it in grow bags/planters and mix in by percentage so you have better control of variables. Like do 5%, 10%, 20%, 30% by volume.

[@homesteadingatkookergehoft8131]

That is surprising. Thanks for taking the bullet for us. Maybe the mimosa leaves would be better as a chop & drop for perennials such as bushes and trees?

[@AncestralCyborg]

Personally I'd put that stuff in the swamp juice barrel if you're still keeping one. I tend to think it could be that nitrogen availability was tied up in breaking it down. Like someone mentioned, relating to another channel and their experiment (which I watched and was tempted to state the same) which also theorized it was probably this effect you used, which I should probably learn. Thanks David, great content as always.

[@AncestralCyborg]

I still don't think I can spell or pronounce it but you say it around 2:55. It's this and possibly lighting as someone again, someone theorized. Continue the experiment and note whether it becomes bio available in the coming weeks please. Very interesting.

[@hectorclan1]

I'm thinking just add it to the compost.

[@VelvetandToads]

I recently bought a place in the South of France and have been trying to eradicate the yellow mimosa (silver wattle - Acacia dealbata) that had invaded the yard. In searching for solutions, I came across a video from South Africa on the closely related and equally invasive black wattle. Apparently they are allelopathic. Moreover, the leaves are extremely high in tannins and hydrophobic. I assume this explains why, since clearing a large thicket and leaving the leaves a year ago, nothing has grown where I left them. I think they’d be better used for suppressing weeds in paths. I wonder if it could be the same for your pink mimosa. Incidentally, don’t try chipping the trunks and branches of Acacia dealbata. I burnt out a brand new chipper/shredder on them in only three days…

[@wordwalkermomma4]

I broke a “Sawsall” blade on one. Also, I used a small “dead” branch as a support stake for nasturtium and asparagus, and the branch sprouted! I love Mimosa, though, and I like your idea of covering pathways with it’s leaves.

[@VelvetandToads]

@@wordwalkermomma4 oh no! I was thinking I could at least use the branches to make obelisks. Guess not 😅

[@AlmaTlust]

@@VelvetandToads Put them with the top end down in the earth and they won't sprout...

[@VelvetandToads]

@@AlmaTlust Thanks! I’ll do that.

[@DeepSouthBamaGRITS]

I was going to do the same thing with Mimosa Leaves next year as I didn't get mine picked in time. But I'm wondering if your beds will do better NEXT year after the Mimosa Leaves compost a bit more??? I'm going to try a cover crop of broadleaf FL Mustard (to eat) and to turn under for my spring garden next year & see what results that brings. We've got to remain vigilante trying to find good sources of fertilizer when there is not any available or affordable. I like staying ORGANIC as much as possible during these very trying times trying to grow anything in our crazy weather here in the deep south!! I'm preparing for this upcoming freeze for possibly Tues, Wed & Thurs. this week. Even tho temps indicate a low of 35 Tues/Thurs I remember March 20, 2023 this year when we weren't supposed to get below freezing & woke to frost & freezing temps. I don't trust the weather predictions anymore. My garden is producing exceptionally NOW and did NOTHING this past summer!! I pruned all my plants back late summer and they resprouted and are doing FABULOUS now that the temps are cooler. I've got lots of tomatoes & blooms, bell peppers galore and tons of winter squash & Chayote Squash if I can save it all from this cold front coming!!

[@nancyseery2213]

Looks like well composted really does work the best. Thanks for the information. God bless y'all and keep growing. compost everything, even your enemies.

[@robb5984]

Now the question... can those results be reproduced?

[@user-gk2ut8mc5e]

Fantastic!! I was so looking forward to this update.

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

Interesting experiment, thank you for the update.

[@michaelrundquist]

Thanks for the update. From what you said I wouldn't be surprised if it was more about the light then the mimosa leaves, but it does make me question that. I am glad you posted I was about to start using mimosa in my landscape. Looks like more research might be needed.

[@mio.giardino]

Thank for the update! I was wondering how this was going.😊

[@DsHomeyGarden]

Yesterday on my morning local forest walk, I came across a mimosa tree and stripped several leaves off of it. Now that I saw your video, I'm going to just put them by themselves in about 4 in maybe 6 in of my garden soil and see how quick they break down. That was a great video I thought the same as you thought.😮 I will let you know in time.

[@anitamurphy2454]

Just don't forget harvest those mimosa flowers in summer and make a wonderful tincture for many nervous system needs. Or in use as a tea, it's wonderful. The tree of happiness

[@Bluegill_Hill]

Thanks for posting results! One of my gardens is planted over/near decaying mimosa root system. I've no idea if helping but it's running strong and has been 2 solid yrs since chicken poo compost was added. Yeah, the poo comp is my all time fave so far, will be cranking out more throughout winter.

[@C5Rose3]

Wow. Thanks for the warning!

[@diananazaroff5266]

I cut down my unwanted Mimosa sprouts, stripped the leaves off and put them all in the compost pile. Unless I'm trying to kill weeds, I just don't think raw organic matter helps. It needs to break down first. Thanks for the update. Glad I did it my way, lol. 😁😁

[@monkeyfoodgarden]

Surprising. Going to have to try one more time just to confirm. Have a blessed day.

[@gryphonrampant1]

I'd be curious to see a replication that added a third condition using some other type of fresh plant material.

[@Taloth1969]

"Maybe" it was just because they were green? Perhaps the fungi put more effort into breaking down the green vegetation than into helping feed the plants? Very interesting results. Definitely try again and see if the results are the same.

[@pavlovssheep5548]

brassicas grow better in bacterial dominated soil , rather than fungal dominated soil ( brassica have no fungal symbiosis ) could the mimosa leaves effect the soil P.H at root level ?

[@susanmarsh5648]

Thank you, that's very interesting results

[@raptorcita5035]

Hermosas Plantaciones

[@vansgardens2304]

Maybe the soil is warmer with the fresh decomposition. Making the cool weather crops less happy?

[@michellebarnhill5130]

I just saw that you can make mimosa jelly and tea from the flowers 🌸

[@johndyer9232]

Too much nitrogen, maybe. Maybe next season will be better once the soil microbes work the mimosa into the soil. Might be better to compost the mimosa before putting on the bed.

[@gardenoftwitty]

I agree. Too much nitrogen can cause bolting when not time. Also excess nit4ogen has been known to keep roots from uptaking other nutrients at the levels it needs.

[@davidthegood]

I doubt it, since these leaf crops really do like lots of nitrogen and usually you'll see them darken, then burn.

[@loves2spin2]

Interesting.... and puzzling.

[@angelbear_og]

Will be interesting to see how the mimosa leaf bed does next year.

[@midsouthhomestead7527]

Thanks

[@truth2792]

Does the mimosa side slope slightly towards the other section...i.e., ? Runoff benefit?

[@LeydavidValera]

Hermosa vista

[@enriquealencardelcastillo4759]

Que linda flores

[@chrisgarrison1158]

I wonder if even though there is tons of nitrogen in the leaves. Maybe it’s possible that there is also a compound or bacterium in the leaves that collects atmospheric nitrogen or in the plant itself that more or less sponge absorbs it’s preventing it’s use in plants. Very interesting. I wonder how that bed would produce next year with and without the mimosa.

[@Huntnlady7]

Catrabi! Chemical allelopathy~ I appreciate the scientific inference

[@shawnmecum9131]

Strange, i wonder if it's like mulch where it takes longer to give up it's fertility

[@ragheadand420roll]

Thats what i was thinking like lockout

[@zoeshorthouse7913]

OMGOSH! That's a surprise! I wonder If it woud have worked better as a chop-and-drop mulch.

[@SteveNoverini]

I’ve done the same thing with coffee grounds in a bed… The mimosa leaves are breaking down and causing heat to the roots. I bet the next crop in the mimosa leaf bed will do much better!

[@ronaldcarr4271]

Seems mimosa has lots of antibacterial properties...Do you think it possibly hurt the beneficial bacteria in the soil as the leaves broke down?

[@sandyssmallhomestead5335]

Wow 😮

[@elijahsanders3547]

Very interesting. Did you equally plow the control, just without additives?

[@arasdeeps1852]

Have the leaves fully broken down yet, or are they still composting? Did it have the result of too much nitrogen?

[@davidthegood]

They disappeared within a week or two!

[@janebadon3988]

Well, hmmmm. I was wondering about privet leaves either in the smelly water or chop and drop. I’m very surprised at the results of your experiment!

[@wordwalkermomma4]

I keep forgetting about privet for the compost...I should’ve read David’s book, “Compost your Enemies “...I hate privet, especially when I get sinus infection from it’s blooms. I’ll head out with the clippers, very soon! Thanks!

[@psalms125selah]

Mimosa Trees dispersed in an orchard to feed the other trees around it with the excess nitrogen in it's root system, is good for the Perennials that way, but putting it's leaves on the soil as a mulch, might not break down and has other compounds that actually harm annuals that we plant in our Gardens, it might not be the Nitrogen that breaks down and releases into the soil, but other compounds it possesses that affects the annuals, You didn't seem to have a problem with it feeding your Perennials with their leaves, but it is having adverse affects on the Annuals, making them unproductive and trying to bolt, showing that the leaves compounds of other trace elements are affecting the uptake of nutrients to the annuals! For Perennials they don't effect, because often Perennials have symbiotic relationships with one another, and they might produce compounds to deter root growth from annuals as a way to protect their root zones from weeds overtaking them! Just a thought! Hope it helps!

[@moniquewright312]

Could it be because you plowed the mimosa under the soil? I would like to see the difference between that and just chop and dropping.

[@fishinghole333]

Could it be that mimosa, being a tree, tends more toward long-term flourish and survival, rather than short-term leaf development? Maybe the fertilizer leans toward same-kind?

[@brucetidwell7715]

Does mimosa have a mild herbicidal effect? Some trees do.

[@almostoily7541]

Are mimosas acidic or alkaline? Do kohlrabi like acidity or alkalinity? We tried to grow beets and they never thrived. I watched a biochar video that said beets liked alkaline soil. Probably why they never thrived here. We're pretty acidic. I'm going to throw down a bunch of stove ash before I plant beets next time and see if it helps.

[@tanyawales5445]

Albizia julibrisson (Mimosa Tree) leaf residues have been found to be allelopathic to Tree of Heaven. I think the leaves could be used as mulch or mixed with soil without allelopathic side effects on vegetation IF they were thoroughly composted preferably with heat first.

[@WilliamMiller-nr5gb]

Kids switched the bed signs. 😂

[@chrisgarrison1158]

I wonder what the nitrogen levels are in both soils right now.

[@mikeyfoofoo]

Swap the mimosa treatment next year. Late day vs morning sun might be something? Interesting.

[@puggirl415]

Have you ever tried another of the woody nitrogen fixing trees called Paulownia. We are using it out here on the west coast to make biochar. It grows very quickly, can take below freezing temps and makes great biochar that we use to help our humanure to compost quicker among other uses. The Paulownia tree is also somewhat allopathic and the study I found said that Paulownia cut the germination rate of wheat. It is considered invasive but some of our neighbors are growing groves of them so they can make biochar on a regular basis. I've been following your experiments and wondered if the Paulownia and the Empress are the same tree or are they just 2 different species of the same type of tree. Something else that I'm not completely solid on is the DNA of the Paulownia tree that has special properties that can make liquid fertilizer using the biochar and specific ferments.

[@davidthegood]

Yes, it is amazing- I planted three in our yard

[@slaplapdog]

The green leaves were an issue when tilled in, but would they work a top dressing?

[@philsexton70]

Are mimosas allopathic? They seem to grow well under pecan trees that definitely are.

[@SLORTA5]

Nitrogen "fixes" to the roots of the plant as nodules and is released to the surrounding soil as trees are cut back. The leaves if used when brown / dried will initially suck the nitrogen out of the soil as they break down. This is why they work well as a mulch helping to suppress weeds in two ways both physically and chemically. Burying woody material helps in the following years so if you're wanting productive beds for the next season it's something that should be avoided. Do it on a fallow and be sure to add high nitrogen fertilizer / urine in order to help the material initially break down. As others have stated, if you're wanting to use the leaves as a fertilizer it's best to add them to your liquid compost barrel, or perhaps as an ingredient in the compost pile.

[@johnwilliamson4231]

What if it’s like chicken manure and needs to break down awhile first? Maybe follow in the spring planting.

[@theplantista25]

Great update! Are you growing mexican sunflower (Thihonia Diversifolia)? 🌱🌿😁

[@davidthegood]

Yes.

[@theplantista25]

@@davidthegood Have you got any videos on it? 🌿

[@babetteisinthegarden6920]

TFS

[@alecio000]

We have plenty of mimosa as well as tree of heaven. Did a deep dive on the latter the other day in the context of ramial chipped wood. One source claimed tree of heaven might be the fastest growing tree in the world, so obviously it would be great if it could be used for fertility. Found a study about using some concoction of tree of heaven bark (possibly root bark) as an herbicide. They found it fairly effective, but also found that the effects wore off after like 15 days. I didn’t dig enough to see if they had a theory for how the herbicidal/allelopathic compounds broke down. I wouldn’t think it would be as simple as sunlight, so probably some kind of microbial activity. But I wonder if a short/incomplete composting step with just a mix of green leaves and soil (to innoculate) might break stuff like that down before you lose a lot of nitrogen and it no longer makes sense as a straight fertilizer.

[@HennoS]

I'm unsure that's why I'm throwing it here: green leafy veg don't have a high need for nitrogen? Maybe added too much?

[@TKOTokyo]

That is quite interesting. I have this "Hairy Indigo" weed growing everywhere in my. garden. I did some research and it's an invasive nitrogen fixing legume that is used as a cover crop in some countries. My neighbor is a cattleman and he said he leaves it in his field and the cows eat it. Its in between all the rows of my corn and everywhere else it can take hold. It's pretty annoying, but is it green manure when I plow it under? I do not know.

[@meanqkie2240]

Looks like weeds thrived and grasses where the mimosa was. Did you put anything at all on the other bed? Our mimosa greens dry up and blow away or decompose very rapidly and are gone. Cleavers grow thick beneath the trees, and garlic seems to do well where the treetrash blows over the garage to the north. Idk why. Thanks for the experiment and update.

[@james-heatherbailey5530]

What is the "effect" you mentioned?

[@zprince4120]

I didn't see the first video however I wonder if it's as simple as needing to compost the leaves before using them

[@skippyvsamy6768]

Odd. wonder what is in the leaves to stunt growth like that

[@gardengatesopen]

I'm thinking the mimosa leaf side is still processing the Nitrogen. I would like to see these exact same beds 6 months from now, or since winter is coming, let's take a look at the Spring/Summer junction. I bet when Summer starts in 2024, the mimosa leaf bed will have a fuller amount of green growth. Just guessing. But it would be interesting to see!

[@koicaine1230]

"The Catrabi" LMAO 🤣

[@TheLifeProvided]

i wonder if a chop and drop/mulch would have worked better if at all. i wonder if tilling it in hurt. The fresh leaves might have used what nitrogen was present to help them break down, stealing it from your plants. Ive read that greens are always better on top instead of mixed in. (with a few exceptions.)

[@jameschristianruizruiz6553]

Bueno

[@jeil5676]

I would think the nitrogen in legumes would mostly remain in the soil and thats why its used as a cover crop moreso. The leaves on the surface ,potentially would release some nitrogen directly to atmosphere and breaking down the carbons might use even more nitrogen from the soil. Just theory of course cuz we are all playing a sort of guessing game in the garden.

[@mekay235]

💕💕👍👍😊😊🍁🍁

[@patriciacox8169]

WOW. That was a surprise.... I think next season they will explode...

[@marysurbanchickengarden]

I went to great lengths to kill off the memosia that was here when we bought the place. It's a nuisance plant and invasive. Love the flowers and the beautiful scent they put out, but do not appreciate that enough to keep the trees that still sprout up years later.

[@VelvetandToads]

Struggling to get rid of mine too! An ongoing battle…

[@isaiahburke3070]

Off topic, but we have ticks on our dogs this year, my parents want to spray the yard and garden with essential oils. Will this hurt the garden at all… or the ticks?

[@davidthegood]

Depends on the concentration

[@townbell2248]

I have heard bamboo leaves are great fertilizer

[@colleenrodamer9497]

Question will a Imosa tree grow in a 7B weather zone?

[@michellebarnhill5130]

Yes, we have mimosa trees where I live, I'm in that zone

[@vickisavage8929]

Mimosas are common in at least zone six.

[@PAULREADDY]

Can you use palm fronds mulch for fruit trees?

[@davidthegood]

Yes

[@PAULREADDY]

Thank you very much. For the information. And I think it would be hilarious if you put like a green balloon on your finger or a green piece of material around your finger when you say at the end of your place may your thumb always be green.lol

[@wingsandbeaksbirder2312]

Did the mimosa leaves heat up the soil?😊

[@BootsandBountyHomestead]

That's what I'm wondering. Maybe they need to compost first or make a tea....

[@davidthegood]

I can't see how, as it was just a half-inch layer or so that we lightly mixed into the top of the soil.

[@LaceyR_FreeEricBrandt]

👍💪🤗

[@jimrodia4190]

You should add it to compost and let it decompose first

[@davidthegood]

Normally, yes, but that was not the experiment.

[@seqouiadendron]

a fan from Germany asks: was it maybe also a no-till as opposed to plowing experiment? you said you "plowed them under" at the beginning or did i get that wrong...

[@davidthegood]

I actually just raked them under the top of the soil. We broke the ground a little with a broadfork, too.

[@seqouiadendron]

@@davidthegood maybe you could declare it your enemy then and compost it!?

[@ragheadand420roll]

Maybe the mimosa didnt break down enough and interfered with nutrient absorption ? 🤔✌🏻🙏🏻🇺🇸👍🏻

[@ddebernardy]

Another type of leaf would have made little difference. The nitrogen fixing is done in (or in non-legume cases on or around) the roots. Predators and fungal networks then move the nitrogen around. You can speed up the sharing by pruning the plants, as this prompts the plants to let roots die.

[@davidthegood]

That is part of it, but the leaf mass is also full of nitrogen in the form of protein.

[@ddebernardy]

@@davidthegood Legumes have a bit more protein in them than other plants, but only so much. Also, a caveat is that plants will soak up key nutrients before letting go of leaves (or branches), and that makes legume leaf litter no better than other leaf litter. Is there any chance you used leaf litter in your experiment? If I may suggest a variation of your nitrogen experiment, let white clover invade a bed, suppress as you plant or transplant, and give the clover a regular prune afterwards. Use a rice knife for effective pruning. Also add dandelions for more nutrient fixing.

[@briank679]

It may have been to "hot" possibly

[@chrisgarrison1158]

Prob allelopathic but would be cooler if not.

[@brendabushman]

Maybe upset the balance of bacteria to fungi which they say is optimal at 50%

[@karen-hillshomestead]

Weird!

[@LeChristEstRoi]

Allelopathy?

[@davidthegood]

It is possible

[@user-ic2ug8ys1z]

😃🌱🐢 18th? I remember when I was 1st. Sigh...

[@evatafurmori2766]

Vegetales ricos

[@robertadunaway7030]

Sounds like it would have been better to have just put the leaves in the compost pile then added as finished compost.

[@threeriversforge1997]

I think it's a good illustration of how this fixation people have with nitrogen isn't the wisest course of action. One might almost think that nitrogen could only get into the soil via leguminous plants, or that other plants could only access nitrogen in the soil if it was first placed there by some leguminous plant in the past. Human nature being what it is, we always tend to look for a single solution to even the most complex systems. Someone mentions nitrogen, and the next thing you know, everyone is running around planting legumes. The more people repeat the tale, the more people believe the tale. Before you know it, it's accepted gospel that nobody questions. We saw this same thing in the last few decades in the fascination with NPK man-made fertilizers. Then someone wisely noted that the soil biome requires calcium, manganese, and a billion other little trace elements that were strip-mined from the soil over generations of "traditional" farming in the post-WW2 era.

[@davidthegood]

Yes

[@deltorres2100]

Maybe to much nitrogen…

[@markkristynichols845]

We grow catrabi to, and miller lite-rabi 😂😂😂

[@larrydiaz7432]

Vegetación

[@thehuntfortruth]

Shade probably has a lot to do with it. Those are cold season veggies. This also means mimosa is at best a not useful chop and drop plant & at worst.... JEFF LAUGHTON LIED TO US!

[@breaking_bear]

Looks like the mimosa plants have too much mimosinal in them.