Leaf Collecting and Clearing – Why not make Leaf mold?

With autumn now upon us, our gardens are starting to fill up with a covering of fallen leaves. It is best to clear up this debris regularly over autumn, as if left, your lawn can become too wet and bogged down causing moss to grow. When you have cleared all of the fallen leaves you may be wondering what to do with them. A lot of people either dump them or put them in the compost bin (not always recommended), but why not make leaf mold?

Leaf mold is an invaluable FREE garden product mainly used as a soil improver but is also good as a lawn conditioner, as mulch, as a peat substitute and can even be used in seed and potting mixes. It is also good for ericaceous plants because it is less alkaline than garden compost. Leaf mold is very easy to make, it’s free and you only need 3 things: fallen leaves, moisture and time.

The first thing you need to do is collect up all the fallen leaves from your garden with a leaf rake. You can use a garden tidy bag or sheet (available in various sizes) to keep your leaf collection together. With the wet and cold conditions you will probably want to use a good quality pair of gardening gloves to help protect your hands – Gold leaf gloves are top of the range and great for year round use.

The next thing to do is decide which option for storing your leaves whilst they decompose is best for you.

• Option 1: Use a secluded, covered area of your garden to leave a pile of leaves (best in an area not affected by wind so that leaves do not get re-blown across your garden)

• Option 2: Build or buy a leaf bin

• Option 3: Use plastic bin bags with a few holes poked through to allow aeration

You should take into account that some leaves take longer to decompose than others and the best leaf mold has a good variety mixed in for providing different minerals to the end product. It is a good idea to shred the leaves to allow for a larger surface area. Once you have decided on storage, place your leaves inside, moisten (but not soak), cover and wait. Leaf mold usually takes between 1-3 years to decompose fully depending on the leaf mix, storage method and climate. There are many guides available online with techniques, tips and tricks.

Your leaf mold is “done” when it is soft, crumbly, and you can no longer recognise the individual leaves. You will end up with an amount of leaf mold that is approximately 20% of the original volume of leaves you started out with.

Published October 15th, 2013 by Joshua. Article ref 1320

Tags: autumn care, Garden Care, Gardening Gloves

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One Response to “Leaf Collecting and Clearing – Why not make Leaf mold?”

1. Gardener’s Diary – November 2013 says:

   November 4, 2013 at 12:59 pm

   […] Garden incinerators are a great way to get rid of any unwanted garden waste that you are not going to use in your compost bin! Leaves can be put in the compost bin but are better if made into leaf mold! […]