Whether you tackle your garden clean-up in fall or in spring, I hope you will save your autumn leaves. These colorful cast-offs turn into “leaf mold” as they decay. And leaf mold, as every forest knows, is the best soil amendment on earth! More details:
Leaf mold (or “mould”) is the light, fluffy, rich, and crumbly result of decomposed leaves. The material will turn even horrid soil into beautiful, fertile loam. And it costs absolutely nothing.
Speaking of horrid soil…when we purchased this property, the ground behind the house was completely paved with asphalt. I removed the offending blacktop in 2005, and planted a boxwood garden there, right in the inert, horribly compacted soil. After the annual addition of leaves, the garden today (pictured above, from my attic window) is filled with worms and other soil-making organisms. The plants are happy.
How to Make Leaf Mold
It’s easy to make leaf mold. Just rake your leaves into a pile, and make a hollow in the center to catch rain. Moisture is necessary for decomposition. Two years later you’ll have crumbly, lovely earth.
No room on your property for a big pile of leaves? Then shred the material, just as I do. Shredded leaves can be used immediately. You can till them into the soil, or, if you have a no-till policy (like me), just dump them onto your garden beds as mulch.
How to Use Leaf Mold
If you have raised beds in your kitchen garden, you need only to fill them one time with purchased soil. Thereafter, top off the beds with leaf mold, or with fresh, shredded leaves. I do this annually, and my beds are teeming with life.
The beds are moisture-wise, too. Why? Because leaf mold can retain 500 times its own weight in water!
Ever wonder how a forest survives prolonged drought? Leaf mold is the answer.
Shredded Leaves Can Be Used Immediately
Now, some of you might wonder if you can use whole, not-yet-decayed leaves on your garden beds. The answer is no. Whole leaves become matted when wet, and keep moisture from reaching the soil below. But shredded leaves, as I mentioned earlier, can be used immediately.
There are a variety of ways to shred leaves. Several years ago, I purchased a wonderful gadget called The Flowtron Ultimate Leaf Shredder from this online source. It weighs practically nothing. Just plug it in, pour whole leaves into the funnel-shaped top, and out will come a finely-shredded, instantly-usable product. Or, put the leaves into a big bin (such as a garbage can) and attack them with a weed-whacker.
If you have a lawn mower equipped with a bag, you can simply mow over the leaves to shred them. As you work, dump the contents of the bag into a pile, or just empty them directly onto a garden bed. Easy, easy.
Note: If you use the mowing-method, you’ll naturally end up with both grass clippings and leaves. This is not a problem, unless you use chemicals on your lawn.
Hint: Don’t use chemicals on your lawn.
Last year, I purchased an electric leaf vacuum-mulcher. ‘Twas money well spent! The machine does a great job for me, sucking up and shredding the leaves that drift onto my deck, porch steps, and garden paths. To see both it and me in action, check out the above video.
I hope you’ll take advantage of “nature’s mulch.” Leaf mold feeds worms and other soil-builders. It breaks up clay. It holds moisture like nobody’s business. And it’s free!
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Hollyrae says
Your boxwood garden looks like it is a photo from an elegant English countryside estate! How gorgeous!
Suzi foxx says
Hi Kevin I hope you and Mr. Fox are doing well. One part of the above says to mix the chopped up leaves into the soil of my raised bed and in other parts it says to lay them on the top. Which method do you advise?
AnitaG says
Dear Kevin – So happy to see you recommend leaf mulching. We’ve done it for years and it works as well as you say it does.
And that’s a great leaf vac-mulcher you found. Enjoy!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Suzi – To hasten decay, dig the shredded leaves into the soil. Otherwise, let the shreds decompose slowly on top of the garden bed. (Hope this answered your question!)
Amy says
Hi Kevin,
I’ve been adding shredded leaves as per your instructions for four years and my soil in my raised beds is terrific!
Do you also add compost, and if so, in the spring?
Thanks for being my gardening guru!! (and household guru – any cleaning videos anytime soon?)
Christine in MD says
I’m definitely going to do this this year. My friend buys leaf mulch but we have so many leaves we can easily make it.
Mary in Iowa says
Douglas Tallamy, an entomology professor at the University of Delaware, suggests in his newest book, “Nature’s Best Hope”, that we leave a layer of leaves on the ground in the fall, and leave stems of spent garden flowers standing. Many larvae of endangered pollinators drop from trees and pupate, not underground, but in the garden and tree debris over the winter before emerging in the spring. I’m now rethinking vacuuming and shredding in the fall. I know I will shred some, particularly in areas where the leaves have blown, but are not directly under the trees, especially oaks. I need a supply to build a compost pile, but this year I will take only what I absolutely need. We sometimes get too obsessed with things being neat and tidy, and we’re not doing our pollinator friends and allies any favors. I still have barrels of last fall’s shredded leaves, so I took more than I really needed.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Amy – Yes, I sometimes add homemade compost to beds. I’ve filmed 3 cleaning videos — more to come!
Hi Mary – Like you, I’m gathering only a certain amount of leaves this fall. The remainder will be mulched in spring.
Pam in Virginia says
Hi, Kevin!
Just looking at your house, and especially your boxwood garden, makes my cares go away.
Pam
Mary Lou Mallendick says
Thanks for the video showing the struggle of assembly. I get so frustrated and down on myself when it seems I’m making a mess of it. It’s reassuring to see it’s not just me! I must admit I was sorta hoping you’d get a hammer and beat the crap out of the leaf vacuum!
Peggy Arden says
Great demo of a really neat tool. I definitely want one to help improve my soil.
Bonnie Kal says
Did you feel this Mulcher worked with acorns? Was it the bv6000?
Thanks
Bonnue
Jo-Anne Collis says
Just brought one home from Canadian Tire……..life will be easier from now on…thanks for the demo…that convinced me there was an easier way!
Robin Michetti says
How about spreading leaf mold on the grass? Does it provide nutrients for the grass or just create matted grass?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Robin – You can mow (shred) the leaves as you mow the lawn. The broken down leaves will provide nutrients to the grass.