WHAT A LOAD OF ROT
‘Dull November brings the blast,
Then the leaves are whirling fast.’
(Sara Coleridge, 1802-52)
November, and, metaphorically speaking, we are up to our knees in leaves. So what are we going to do with them? Well, we do have options. We can burn them (very anti-social, especially if they are wet.) We can waste them by putting them in the green wheelie bin, or we can be green and environmentally friendly by recycling them in our own gardens. By making leafmould we will be creating a superb soil improver that can revitalise the lawn, be used as a mulch, and if we’re adventurous, be utilised in making our own seed and potting composts.
Before we collect any leaves, we will need to decide where and how we are going to rot them down. There are many proprietary leafmould bins on the market but constructing one is simplicity itself. All a bin comprises is four poles making a square with close mesh wire (such as chicken wire) fixed around the sides (see photo.) Alternatively, if that’s too much effort, or we don’t have the space, then the simplest thing to do is use black plastic bin bags with some holes pierced in them with a fork.
If we don’t have enough leaves in our own garden then we can guarantee that our friends and neighbours will be very pleased to give us theirs free on collection. If we want to make vast quantities of leafmould or have an allotment then the council, (who collect tons of leaves every year (or used to when I was on Rushmoor Parks Dept.) will be happy to let us have lorry loads of them. Make sure they come from cemeteries or parks rather than town roads that may have had weed killers sprayed on them. If we have a trailer, we can always go out along the Bideford to Torrington road and collect as much of the stuff as we like. No matter where we collect leaves though, always make sure not to remove them from the base of hedges and other out of the way areas. Hedgehogs and other wildlife use these places as hibernacula over the winter.
Any type of leaf that falls from deciduous trees is perfect because they rot down nicely. Don’t use evergreen leaves though (such as holly or laurel) because they will take years to decompose. Too many pine needles or conifer leaves will make the leafmould more acidic, which is ideal for azaleas, heathers, and other acid loving plants.
The best time to collect leaves is when they are wet. Rake them up into piles then go round putting them into the wheelbarrow for transferring to the leafmould bin. If using plastic bags, save time by putting the leaves directly into the bags and then placing them in the wheelbarrow to transport where we will.
Don’t expect instant results. Leafmould is not as quick as making compost. They rot best on their own rather than adding to the compost heap for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the compost heap works by generating heat to initiate fast decay with bacteria and microbes, the addition of leaves will cool it down considerably. Secondly, leaves rot by the cool action of fungi (hence the term ‘mould’) in a slow process. A compost heap will be ready to use in six to twelve months, a leafmould bin will take twice as long, about two or more years.
We can increase the rate of decay slightly by shredding the leaves first (running a mower over them or running them through a shredder,) before putting them in the bin. The addition of small, I repeat – small, quantities of crass cuttings will help too, as will human urine if we feel that way inclined. If we do use urine, we must make sure to dilute it 50/50. This will speed the process up because both the grass and the urine are natural activators high in nitrogen. Finish off by pressing the heap down tightly and forget until the spring. In spring, empty the bin, add a few more grass mowings (not too many remember,) mix it up, and then return to the bin, pressing down as we go.
After the first year or two, the young leafmould will be starting to break down and will easily crumble up in our hands (see photo.) We can then use it as mulch all around the garden. We can dig it in for use as a soil improver prior to sowing and planting, although not where we are going to grow root crops. In the autumn, we can brush the leafmould into our lawns as a top dressing. In the winter, we can use it as a covering for bare soil and let the earthworms and other creatures drag it into their burrows, it’ll save us a job in the spring.
After a couple of years or so, we will have well-rotted leafmould. It will now be a rich dark brown, a real burnt sienna. It will crumble into extremely fine particles with no trace of the original leaves from whence it came. We can use as we did the ‘young’ leafmould mentioned above, or, after sieving it, we can create our own peat free composts.
For sowing compost, we can use the leafmould on its own or mix it with equal parts sharp sand and sieved garden compost (from the compost heap.) Potting compost will need a little more body and feed so the ideal mix is equal parts well-rotted leafmould, sharp sand, loam, and garden compost, plus a teaspoon of Phostrogen for every five litres or so.
So before you complain about all those leaves blowing round remember the good points of leafmould: It’s easy to make, it’s environmentally friendly, it saves using peat, and it costs nothing. As for using it: it’s clean and easy to handle, it’s good for the soil, it reduces watering, and we can use it on any soil at any time of the year. How good is that!
Until we meet again next month, happy gardening!
You can visit my website at cherrytrees.weebly.com
“Finally, don’t forget, always work with nature, don’t fight it.”
‘Dull November brings the blast,
Then the leaves are whirling fast.’
(Sara Coleridge, 1802-52)
November, and, metaphorically speaking, we are up to our knees in leaves. So what are we going to do with them? Well, we do have options. We can burn them (very anti-social, especially if they are wet.) We can waste them by putting them in the green wheelie bin, or we can be green and environmentally friendly by recycling them in our own gardens. By making leafmould we will be creating a superb soil improver that can revitalise the lawn, be used as a mulch, and if we’re adventurous, be utilised in making our own seed and potting composts.
Before we collect any leaves, we will need to decide where and how we are going to rot them down. There are many proprietary leafmould bins on the market but constructing one is simplicity itself. All a bin comprises is four poles making a square with close mesh wire (such as chicken wire) fixed around the sides (see photo.) Alternatively, if that’s too much effort, or we don’t have the space, then the simplest thing to do is use black plastic bin bags with some holes pierced in them with a fork.
If we don’t have enough leaves in our own garden then we can guarantee that our friends and neighbours will be very pleased to give us theirs free on collection. If we want to make vast quantities of leafmould or have an allotment then the council, (who collect tons of leaves every year (or used to when I was on Rushmoor Parks Dept.) will be happy to let us have lorry loads of them. Make sure they come from cemeteries or parks rather than town roads that may have had weed killers sprayed on them. If we have a trailer, we can always go out along the Bideford to Torrington road and collect as much of the stuff as we like. No matter where we collect leaves though, always make sure not to remove them from the base of hedges and other out of the way areas. Hedgehogs and other wildlife use these places as hibernacula over the winter.
Any type of leaf that falls from deciduous trees is perfect because they rot down nicely. Don’t use evergreen leaves though (such as holly or laurel) because they will take years to decompose. Too many pine needles or conifer leaves will make the leafmould more acidic, which is ideal for azaleas, heathers, and other acid loving plants.
The best time to collect leaves is when they are wet. Rake them up into piles then go round putting them into the wheelbarrow for transferring to the leafmould bin. If using plastic bags, save time by putting the leaves directly into the bags and then placing them in the wheelbarrow to transport where we will.
Don’t expect instant results. Leafmould is not as quick as making compost. They rot best on their own rather than adding to the compost heap for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the compost heap works by generating heat to initiate fast decay with bacteria and microbes, the addition of leaves will cool it down considerably. Secondly, leaves rot by the cool action of fungi (hence the term ‘mould’) in a slow process. A compost heap will be ready to use in six to twelve months, a leafmould bin will take twice as long, about two or more years.
We can increase the rate of decay slightly by shredding the leaves first (running a mower over them or running them through a shredder,) before putting them in the bin. The addition of small, I repeat – small, quantities of crass cuttings will help too, as will human urine if we feel that way inclined. If we do use urine, we must make sure to dilute it 50/50. This will speed the process up because both the grass and the urine are natural activators high in nitrogen. Finish off by pressing the heap down tightly and forget until the spring. In spring, empty the bin, add a few more grass mowings (not too many remember,) mix it up, and then return to the bin, pressing down as we go.
After the first year or two, the young leafmould will be starting to break down and will easily crumble up in our hands (see photo.) We can then use it as mulch all around the garden. We can dig it in for use as a soil improver prior to sowing and planting, although not where we are going to grow root crops. In the autumn, we can brush the leafmould into our lawns as a top dressing. In the winter, we can use it as a covering for bare soil and let the earthworms and other creatures drag it into their burrows, it’ll save us a job in the spring.
After a couple of years or so, we will have well-rotted leafmould. It will now be a rich dark brown, a real burnt sienna. It will crumble into extremely fine particles with no trace of the original leaves from whence it came. We can use as we did the ‘young’ leafmould mentioned above, or, after sieving it, we can create our own peat free composts.
For sowing compost, we can use the leafmould on its own or mix it with equal parts sharp sand and sieved garden compost (from the compost heap.) Potting compost will need a little more body and feed so the ideal mix is equal parts well-rotted leafmould, sharp sand, loam, and garden compost, plus a teaspoon of Phostrogen for every five litres or so.
So before you complain about all those leaves blowing round remember the good points of leafmould: It’s easy to make, it’s environmentally friendly, it saves using peat, and it costs nothing. As for using it: it’s clean and easy to handle, it’s good for the soil, it reduces watering, and we can use it on any soil at any time of the year. How good is that!
Until we meet again next month, happy gardening!
You can visit my website at cherrytrees.weebly.com
“Finally, don’t forget, always work with nature, don’t fight it.”