How To Put Autumn Leaves to Good Use

Green leaves. Red leaves. Yellow leaves. Purple leaves. Orange leaves. Pink leaves. The astonishing colours of autumn – such a marvel to look at.

Autumn is indeed a vibrant season because the leaves come in various colours. But this also means that these leaves will eventually fall off.

A lot of people may regard these fallen leaves as an additional burden to their maintenance tasks. It doesn’t have to be a negative thing, however, because there are several ways that you can put these leaves to good use.

Use the leaves as compost

Autumn leaves make a great compost. They are an excellent source of high carbon material that is vital to making a successful compost. Just pile up the leaves and alternate them with a layer of regular green materials such as fruit and vegetable scraps and grass clippings and let it sit during the winter. Aerate by turning it over once in a while.

Use the leaves as organic mulch

The best way to create mulch using autumn leaves is to shred them so they don’t get blown around. Apply a deep enough layer of shredded leaves on the flower and tree beds. Just the right depth will ensure moisture retention, weed control, and soil temperature regulation. As they break down, nutrients will penetrate the soil.

Use the leaves to make leaf mould

Leaf mould is an excellent material to enhance the soil’s health, texture, and properties. Collect the leaves in the storage area and shred if you want to speed up the decomposition process. Turn the pile over a few times as you let it sit for about a year.

Mow the leaves onto the lawn

Instead of raking the leaves off the lawn, mowing them over on the lawn is a better thing to do. The shredded leaves and grass clippings are good sources of carbon and nitrogen — exactly what the soil needs. Let them sit and break down into the soil during the winter, and as spring comes, they will be gone and the nutrients will be deposited in the soil.

Whether you enjoy autumn leaves or not, they provide gardeners a great opportunity to create safe and all-natural garden essentials. They are easy to work with and are safe for you and the environment. And of course, they are free! Letting the autumn leaves do the work for your garden while you and your plants reap the benefits is definitely not a bad idea.

For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.