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how can you make use of the olde leavs that fall

171717

By 171717

co.kerry, Ireland

leavs




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Collect them up and stuff them in an old compost bag turned inside out and leave them for a year or two.

Or build a simple 4 sided wire mesh pen 1metre by 1metre high. Place all the leaves in there and leave for a year or two.

Either way once they have rotted down they will be ideal to spread around your'e borders and flower beds.

5 Jan, 2009

 

get a composter or if you are like me i leave them.there a natural barrier against frost etc.you could just chuck them.my front garden is natural so apart from the path maybe i realy just leave it but saying that my front garden is overcrowded and i compost the back leaves.dont you think at least for a while even dead leaves look stunning.my semi tropical plants i tape up over the buds to stop the water freezing round the crown and brush leaves over a lot including my chycad excuse my spelling.there on my pictures i hope ive helped

5 Jan, 2009

 

Careful what you compost. Some trees (oak and laburnum spring immediately to mind) do not make good compost. They really require a hot compost pile to break down properly. Like Noseypotter, I leave my leaves on the ground over winter as a natural mulch and then either clean them up and compost them or dig them in, in spring.

John.

6 Jan, 2009

 

its more like the real deal
and thats how plants do best i believe
mine flourish

6 Jan, 2009

 

The only problem with doing that is that slugs and snails love hiding underneath and then they are safe until juicy shoots appear for them! That's why I clear my leaves up.

By the way, if you do follow Treesandthings advice, make sure you dampen the leaves both in the bags and in the wire frame, or they won't rot down.

6 Jan, 2009

 

Funnily enough Spritz, I was worried about that as well so I did some research.

The consensus, particularly amongst organic (which I am not) gardeners is that slugs are not a problem (or not a greater problem). They lay there eggs under soil not under leaves and a leaf mulch does not affect this. Snails can be a problem but are counteracted by the garden friendly mini-beasts that also find shelter for their larvae in the 'warmth' of a leaf cover. So what you lose on the roundabout you more than gain on the swings.

John.

7 Jan, 2009

 

well i must admit i tend to buy plants that dont suffer realy from our nature and the other plus is my nile puffer fish loves them.now is the time to hunt ya snails out you just got to know wear to look.i dont fight nature i work with it

10 Jan, 2009

How do I say thanks?

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