Autumn leaves are nature's gold.
By dianebulley
6 comments
Two autumns ago I swept up 8 bags of Beech leaves in a
local village. Beech is best, we are told.
Put them in a wire netting cage, without supports. Cursed it in the winter, as it fell over and had to be pushed back into the corner.
Leaves should not be put into the compost bin, as they take 2 years to rot.
Last week I bagged my Beech leaves up, got 4 big bags of mulch.
My potted plants stand in large saucers.
This morning I gave them a drink of rainwater, then
padded each one up with the leaf mould. Used 3 bags.
No water wasted running out of the bottom of the pots.
They are protected from the heat.
In this way every nutrient and every drop of moisture is
going to the plant roots, which they very much need just
now.
Cost. Nothing.
3 Jul, 2015
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Comments
OH piled up the beech hedge trimmings last year and they are all mixed up with the twigs - so frustrating! I guess they'll rot down eventually.
3 Jul, 2015
Compost needs to generate heat to rot down properly whereas leafmould needs cold.
I put my leaves in punctured black plastic bags and place in deep shade I gather them up in a leaf hover which shreds them and they rot down in under a year.
4 Jul, 2015
Will remind everyone in October. Nice drop of rain here
in the night. Water butt filled up again thank goodness.
4 Jul, 2015
Yes, they are great for helping break down clay soil, too. I used to bag up leaves from my customers' trees when tidying their gardens and bring them home to rot down in black bags for about 18 months.that was in the days I had energy.
4 Jul, 2015
I was thinking Paul that there are young lads about in the autumn looking to earn a £5 note. It would be well worth
finding them, and getting some leaves bagged up for
your car. Make sure they are wearing the day glow safety waistcoat and have permission from their parents.
5 Jul, 2015
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I always made leaf mould when I lived in the old cottage. We were surrounded by woods, and leaves were plentiful every autumn.
3 Jul, 2015