Why leaf mold may be the best thing you can do for your lawn and garden this fall
New and seasoned gardeners alike are always looking for the latest magical remedy that will help them nurture their best gardens yet. But what if we told you that the highest quality compost you can get is currently in your garden?
Introducing Leaf Mould: the amazing, natural and free compost that renowned organic and permaculture growers have been using for years to increase the vigor of their gardens.
Although it takes some time and muscle to make, it’s an incredibly easy way to provide your garden with the nutrients it needs – and clean up your fallen leaves, all in one go. Here’s everything you need to know about making your own leaf shape this season.
What is leaf shape?
“Leaf mold is a special type of natural fertilizer, which you can make by collecting fallen leaves and allowing them to decompose,” says Harry Bodela garden expert Praise your job.
While it may sound too good to be true, that’s really all there is to it when it comes to making leaf mold. So what’s the catch?
Leaf mold needs time to decompose completely. This means that the leaf mold you make this season will not be good for at least six months to a year, depending on which method of leaf molding you choose. We will go into this in more detail below.
How to make leaf shape
As we mentioned earlier, making leaf mold is not difficult. But there are a few different ways to go about this. In the first of these you simply collect your leaves into a pile.
“Raking your leaves and piling them up for the year will help the leaves decompose,” says Don Adamsa gardener and landscaper. “Think of 3-by-3-foot piles. You should keep the leaves wet, or at least moist, and turn them every few weeks to keep the process going evenly. The influx of oxygen will also help speed up decomposition.”
Unless you get a lot of rain or snow, Adams recommends hosing your pile every few weeks and using a large garden fork to rotate the pile’s contents and speed up the decomposition process. This method usually takes between six months and a year for a fully broken down and usable leaf shape.
The second method involves wrapping your piles or placing them in large bins or containers. As you might imagine, this retains more moisture and significantly speeds up decomposition, giving you a working leaf shape within six months.
“If you’re short on space, you can also do the entire process in large black trash bags,” says Adams. “Press the leaves firmly into the bags and puncture holes in the side. Keep it moist by adding water every week and shaking the bags so that the leaves mix together a bit. Your bags can also decay, so keep an eye on that too!”
Tips for making your best leaf shape
There are a few things to keep in mind for the best results. The first of these is that you need to be sure that you only take things that will decompose quickly, i.e. leaves and grass.
“In the fall you can use most leaves, even the leaves with black dots,” says Bodel. “Just try to avoid evergreen leaves such as holly, laurel or conifers as they take years to rot.”
Another trick that many seasoned leaf shape makers swear by: chop everything up before letting it decompose into piles.
“To speed up the process, run the mower across the lawn, with a high blade setting,” says Bodel. “This will help shred the leaves so you can collect them with your grass clippings. If you can collect them when they are damp, this is even better as they will rot more quickly.”
Any final advice? Make sure you place your leaf mold stack away from your home.
“Piles of leaves can attract pests and pests, so keep them far from your home,” says Adams. “Also, don’t be afraid of a bad smell of rot and decay; the smell of leaf mold is similar to that of a forest floor: pure, green nature.”
Additional edits and information provided by Dina Sartore-Bodo.
