A leaf blower is great for tidying a garden up in the autumn, but what should you do with all of those leaf piles you’re left with? Sure, you could dispose of them as garden waste, but considering the fact that leaves are packed with nutrients that could really boost the health of your garden, that really would be a waste. Instead, give one of these ideas a try:
1. Make Leaf Mould
Never heard of leaf mould before? It looks just like crumbly compost, except that it isn’t quite so nutrient-dense. However, it makes a fantastic soil amendment, and is also a great addition to potting soil.
Even better, leaf mould is easy to make. Place your leaves into a wire bin, or a black bin bag with air holes poked into it. Add some water every now and again to keep the leaves moist and, after a year, it should turn into leaf mould.
2. Use Leaves to Feed Your Lawn
It’s true that a heavy blanket of leaves will suffocate and kill your grass, but a chopped light layer can actually do your lawn the world of good by feeding it with important nutrients.
You’ve got two options when it comes to doing this. The first is to use a garden shredder to chop all of your leaves up, before spreading the shreddings over your lawn. Alternatively, use your leaf blower to blow all of your leaves onto your lawn. Then, give your lawn a run over with a lawn mower to chop all of those leaves up.
3. Add Leaves to Your Compost Heap
If you make your own compost, then you’ll find that your garden leaves are an ideal addition to your compost heap. They count as a brown material, so you’ll need to balance them out with some greens.
It’s worth noting that shredding your leaves first will help them to decompose faster, but this isn’t strictly necessary if you don’t mind waiting a little longer for finished compost.
What should you do if you have too many leaves to add to your compost heap? Add in the appropriate amount now before bagging up the rest. You can save those leaves for the spring, when you’ll probably have a lot more greens to add to your compost heap and will be in need of some extra browns.
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4. Use Leaves As Mulch
Mulching is an effective way to improve the quality of the soil in your garden beds, while also giving a boost to the plants living within them. Numerous organic materials can be used as mulch, one of which is garden leaves.
Ideally, the leaves should be shredded first. A thick clump of un-shredded leaves will form a solid mat that prevents air and moisture from entering into your soil. However, if you don’t have a garden shredder or a lawn mower that you can use to chop your leaves up, go ahead and use them whole. Just make sure that your layers aren’t too thick, and be prepared for them to take a little longer to break down. Once they do, they’ll improve the health and structure of your soil.
5. Use Leaves to Insulate Tender Plants
If you have any tender plants in your garden that often struggle in the winter, you can use your garden leaves to give them some extra insulation.
You’ll need to set up a wire cage around your plants, before filling this cage with your leaves. Once spring arrives, remove the cage and rake out the leaves – they’ll already be partially decomposed.
Autumn leaves may seem like a nuisance at first, but they really have so many uses in a garden. Whether you turn them into compost or use them to mulch your plants, don’t let this precious resource go to waste!
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