Gold is Falling from the Trees

It is depressing to drive around town and see all those large black plastic bags stuffed full of leaves sitting by the curb, waiting for pick up day. 

It is sickening to think of all that plastic going into a landfill. It's even more frustrating to think of all those wonderful leaves going to waste. They are free fertilizer for the garden. It is not too late to pull those bags off the street and put the leaves to work. 

I know the arguments. You don't have the time to deal with leaves. There are too many bundles for you to store. You don't own a mulching mower to grind them up. The list goes on. 

Frankly, that is all true for me too. But there is so much to gain by spending just a bit of time to pile your leaves into one big heap and cut them to shreds. 

You don't own a mulching mower? Well, neither do I—or any kind of mower for that matter. But I do have a good, sturdy tarp on which I rake all the leaves in my front yard. With a big pile in place, I gather the edges of the tarp to surround the leaves and drag it to the back yard. If I had a mower, I could dump the leaves on the grass and crush them in no time flat.

Instead, I fold the tarp over the pile of leaves and walk back and forth over the pile until it is reduced to a quarter of its original bulk. Sometimes I invite the neighborhood kids to come over and stomp away.  If you don't have a tarp, then use those heavy duty yard bags. Tie them loosely to let air escape and crush the leaves in the same manner.

Now the leaves are ready for spreading. Sprinkle a thin layer over your lawn or in a 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch around the plants in your garden. Leave some breathing room around the crown of each plant so the stems will not rot. 

Never allow big clumps of leaves to sit in a garden bed. They can create a soggy layer that can do more harm than good for the plants they surround. They can prevent rain from penetrating into the ground. Make sure the leaves are not dumped on top of plants. More than likely they will die from lack of air circulation.

 Fall leaves are free. They do a lot of good for plants and soil alike. If you don't have any of your own, go grab some of those bags you see lining our neighborhood streets and bring home the gold!

For more information about mulching with leaves and lots of other information about composting and improving your gardens for free, go to   www.finegardening.com.  

Happy Gardening!