DON’T JUST BIN THOSE LEAVES
Ruth extols the virtues and uses of leaf mould
Ruth extols the virtues and uses of leaf mould
Free stuff gets my vote every time, especially when it comes to things that will benefit the health of my garden. One of the best freebies that only requires a bit of elbow grease to stock up on is leaf mould, the gorgeous, crumbly residue of rotted foliage that is absolute manna for the garden.
It is obviously in plentiful supply at this time of year, and all you need to do is collect the raw materials and let time take its toll on them.
Other good reasons for collecting leaves is it tidies the garden, removes dangerous, wet leaves from paths, prevents them becoming a haven for pests and disease, and stops them smothering alpine plants.
Deciduous leaves have different properties and decompose at differing rates. The quickest and best are beech, oak and hornbeam. Thicker leaves such as sycamore, walnut and those in the chestnut family take longer to break down, though you can speed up the process by shredding them or going over them with a lawn mower. These denser leaves can also be added to the compost heap after shredding. evergreen leaves, such as holly, are best shredded and added to the compost heap, where they will break down faster than in a leaf mould bin. Store pine needles in a separate place and when rotted use them as mulch for ericaceous (limehating) plants that thrive in acid soils.
There are two main ways of storing leaves. You can construct a permanent bin using four tree stakes wrapped around with wire mesh. Alternatively, get a black plastic bin liner, make holes in it and pile it full of leaves. Sprinkle some water in it before knotting the top and stowing it away somewhere out of sight – behind a shed or garage is ideal.
It will take at least two years for your leaves to completely rot down, but the end results will be nutritious, crumbly dark leaf mould. If it takes longer, turn the leaves occasionally and dampen them during long, dry spells.