Make a friend of leaves
Despite our long summer drought, trees produced unusually heavy falls of leaves this autumn. these can be horribly untidy. But they’re neither damaging nor unsightly.
these leaves contain valuable plant nutrients ‘borrowed’ from the soil, by trees and now being returned. if left to lie and rot, where they do no harm, those nutrients, plus organic matter are returned to the soil.
earthworms and soil microbes then help to complete the recycling process. that’s how woodland floors replenish goodness and re-build their organic content. As earthworms pull them down into the earth, the decaying process speeds up and the soil quality improves.
so leave fallen foliage lying, wherever it does no harm. Under trees and shrubs, the leaves will decay naturally, enriching the soil.
On lawns or open areas, by all means rake them up. But treasure those leaves.
Add them to your compost, make leafmould or simply move them to areas where they can lie undisturbed to decompose.
if you have to be rid of fallen leaves, send them away in a council garden-waste bin.
But make that a last resort, if you have nowhere to leave them in your own plot.