Autumn Leaves Are Really Useful And they Are Free

Leaves are:

• high in fibre, and create great humus rich in nitrogen and potassium.

• a valuable source of organic matter

• return nutrients to the soil

• encourage worms and beneficial soil organisms

• suppress weeds

• protect bare soil from heavy rain

• help moderate soil temperature near the surface

• are beneficial in turning clay soil into useable soil - dig them in year after year.

• And they are readily available at this time of year.

How to Process Leaves Into Leaf Mulch/Leaf Mould:

Autumn leaves are mainly decomposed by fungi, which work more slowly than the bacteria found in compost heaps. Large quantities, will decompose quicker in a dedicated heapor in bags.

Decomposition is quicker if the leaves are turned frequently to distribute moisture and introduce air to the pile.  Water from time to time, especially in summer.

Break down will be faster if mixed with animal manure at a ratio of five parts leaves to one part manure

They also break down quicker if chopped up in a shredder, or with a lawn mower.

Position in a cool, shaded place as the beneficial fungi hate excessive heat.

Build a cage made of  four stout poles and chicken wire or plastic netting, in an out-of- the-way place. A tall, narrow cage works better than a low, wide one, as the leaves willsink down and shrink in size by over 50 per cent as they rot.

Or just gather the leaves, moisten and fill large plastic bags. They will slowly rot over a year to form leaf mould.

To use a small quantity of leaves, dig a small pit in the part of a garden or vegetable plot that needs improving and bury the leaves in it. Soil organisms will quickly turn them intoleaf mould.

Or lay over a newspaper base as a winter cover for empty vegetable beds, it is just as effective as a green crop in boosting organic matter in the soil and doesn’t need digging in in spring.

The quickest rotting leaves are the soft, thin ones.  Waxy, shiny leaves, and most evergreens take longer to rot, - shred before composting, to improve their decomposition rate. Large quantities of these leaves are unsuitable for composting due to their slow rate of rotting. Use them as a weed suppressing mulch instead.

A few tree species (Eucalyptus, Walnut) contain mild toxins in their leaves, which stall germination of some seedlings. These toxins are mild and rarely have a damaging effect ifcomposted.

Uses:

Use a thick mulch of leaves around tender plants such as cannas, dahlias, fuchsias and plants that die down and overwinter as underground storage organs, to protect from freezing in colder regions.

Use as a thick layer of leaves as a weed suppressant.

Use the leaves as an organic lawn food. Lay them evenly over the grass then mow the lawn as per usual and leave the clippings to lie, as long as the layer isn’t too thick and smothers the lawn. Increasing the organic content of the lawn helps improve the strength of grass growth to crowd out weeds, especially in less than ideal conditions such as shady areas.

Instead of tidying beds, consider leaving the leaves to lie undisturbed where they will rotdown naturally and be incorporated into the soil by earthworms. This will save work in removing, composting and then returning. In addition it will encourage worms, beetles and birds.

Dig the rotted leaf mulch into the soil or lay around plants to provide a well balanced plant food.

The leaf mulch can be turned into a good seed raising mix by mixing 2 parts with 1 part sand.

Leaf mulch is a useful peat substitute suitable for rhododendrons and other acid-loving plants.