Leaves are a huge problem this time of year, but their dramatic beauty can be breathtaking. There are several ways to deal with the leaves in the fall, such as using them as mulch or as compost.
Unfortunately, to use leaves effectively as mulch and compost they still need to be raked or blown from your gardens and lawn so that you have control over where they are used. Leaving a thick layer of leaves on your lawn or garden can create conditions that lead to rotting of the grass or plants beneath.
Once your leaves have been gathered, you have a choice between using them un-decomposed, as mulch, or composting them before you put them in your garden. Regardless of how you are going to use them, the first step is to chop or shred your leaves. This will save space if you are placing them in a bin, minimize their blowing around if you are placing them in the garden, and it will help speed up their eventual decomposition into composted organic matter.
One way to shred the leaves is by using your lawn mower. First attach a bagger to your lawn mower before you begin cutting. As you cut the lawn, the leaves will be shredded and gathered into the bag. You may also gather leaves in a pile and run the lawn mower without a bagger through the pile. Turn the discharge shoot in one direction so that the shredded leaves are placed in a pile and not blown all over the place.
Once you have your shredded leaves, you may place them in your landscape beds as mulch immediately, if you wish. But be careful not to place too much of mulch directly on the crowns of perennial flowers, because it can lead to root rot. If you do use un-composted shredded leaves as mulch in your garden, you should add some nitrogen fertilizer to the garden in the spring, as the leaves break down they may rob the soil of nitrogen.
Another way to deal with your leaves is to compost them, either alone or with other organic matter. The easiest but longest process is to place the shredded leaves in a wire bin. Leave them there for two years, turning them occasionally, and you will have a really nice product. The only problem with using leaves alone for composting is you will need a tremendous amount of leaves to produce any quantity of compost.
Leaves can be most effective as a component in a compost pile that contains a variety of organic matters. Your compost pile should contain materials rich in nitrogen and others rich in carbon. Leaves can provide the carbon component of your pile. Other good carbon components include straw, wood and bark chips. Good nitrogenous materials include grass and plant clippings, raw fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds. Use your shredded leaves and other carbon materials to layer between your nitrogenous materials in a bin. Turn the pile every so often to aerate it, and make sure that it is moist, but not to wet. The amount of time it will take to produce compost depends upon its size, composition and conditions. The process can take anywhere from three months to one year. Most small compost bins take 6 to 9 months to produce a fully composted product. Make sure that you cut the materials into small pieces, and turn the piles about once every 2 to 3 weeks. Happy composting!
If you have any questions about this subject or anything else, don’t hesitate to call us, 972-420-4858, or email us at info@monsterlandscapes.net!
