Leafall has finally hit us with a vengeance to remind us all that everything is transient; that to enjoy the summer we have to endure the winter. And one thing worse than leaves are soggy leaves. Its all well and good kicking the leaves around but after heavy rain these leaves become sticky and just won't budge.
Then there's the good leaves and bad leaves. Leaves from trees such as Beech, Oak, Birch, and Sweet Chestnut (or evergreens such as Holly), are 'bad' leaves as they are higher in lignin and lower in nitrogen and calcium and take AT LEAST two years to decompose. Best avoid putting them in the compost bin. Conversely, leaves from Ash, Maple, fruit trees, Poplar and Willow are 'good' leaves for composting as these are lower in lignin and higher in calcium and nitrogen and decompose quickly.
Most gardener's gather the leaves and add to the compost bin, or bag it and leave it to rot down to leaf mould. Leaf mould isn't actually compost - it is not high in nutrients. But it makes a great mulch come the spring. Ideally rake up all the leaves off the lawn because the leaves will block the light from the grass, making it die back and patchy. You can leave the leaves on your borders to rot down and feed the worms, no harm will come from leaving them other than it being slightly unsightly to the more eager eyed critics.
Lastly, what do you need? If you've got acres then a leaf blower might be prudent, but in all honestly I'm a great fan of elbow grease. A trusty rake and a pair of leaf grabbers are all that is required. It's quite good exercise, and you're not polluting our planet at the same time. Unless its raining, in which case stay warm!
Comments